Villa end a difficult season in the doldrums with three consecutive defeats to finish 19th.

Joe Mercer however remained a popular figure, not least for the work done in the early years of his reign.

Sadly by May, Mercer would be ordered to take a months complete rest by his doctor.

By July Mercer would be relieved of his duties by Villa. Packaged up as 'mutual consent' it was anything but.

To make matters worse, Villa would make a highly questionable decision in handing Mercer's job to unknown managerial novice Dick Taylor.

Joe Mercer's Villa end the season with three successive losses to make it eleven wins, twelve draws and nineteen defeats in forty two League games. The season - comfortably the worst one under Joe Mercer - saw Villa finish 19th although they were six points clear of relegation by that time. In truth, 

Mercer’s otherwise positive reign had been on the wane since a terrible run in 1962-63 saw no win in twelve and nine successive defeats. As a result that season finished 15th, a far cry from the 7th and 9th places of the previous two seasons and the inaugural League Cup win. Mercer had also transformed the club off the field, slashing the age of the squad and introducing his much heralded ‘Mercer’s minors’ to the first team, who even in the difficult months of his final season were relied upon to turn Villa’s form around. 

Mercer would be controversially relieved of his duties in the summer with 1963-64 not only proving to be his, but also a number of his protégés departing. 

Midfielder Stan Horne made his sixth and final appearance for Villa aged 19 before moving on to Manchester City in September 1965. 

Forward George Graham made his final appearance for Villa, aged 19, before moving on to Chelsea in June 1964. George played for Villa in 1962-63 and 1963-64 making 10 appearances and scoring 2 goals. 

Goalkeeper Bob Wilson made his ninth and final appearance for Villa aged 20 before moving on to Cardiff in August 1964. 

Meanwhile, 17 year old midfielder Graham Parker made his Villa debut after joining from school football in July 1961.