| Wilf Mayer | |
| Fullname: | Wilfred Mayer |
| Birth Date: | 18 February 1912 |
| Birth Place: | Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Death Place: | Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Youthclubs1: | Newcastle PSA |
| Youthclubs2: | Downings Tileries |
| Years1: | 1932–1937 |
| Clubs1: | Stoke City |
| Caps1: | 1 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 1937–1938 |
| Clubs2: | Southampton |
| Caps2: | 14 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1938–???? |
| Clubs3: | Wellington Town |
Wilf Mayer (18 February 1912 – April 1979) was an English professional footballer who played at inside-right for Southampton in the late 1930s, before joining Wellington Town where he won a Welsh Cup winner's medal in 1940.
Mayer was born in Stoke-on-Trent, and after playing for local works teams, Newcastle PSA and Downings Tileries, he signed as a professional with Stoke City in August 1932. Mayer spent most of his career at Stoke in the reserves, making only one first-team appearance in the 1934–35 season which came in a 1–0 defeat at home to Chelsea on 9 March 1935.[1]
In March 1937, he was one of the first signings by Southampton's new manager Tom Parker for a fee of £650.[2] A nippy forward, at home both on the wing or at inside-forward, Mayer was immediately drafted into the first-team to replace the injured Dick Neal. Although Neal returned after a few matches, Mayer retained the inside-right shirt for the remainder of the season.[3]
In the following season, the signing of players such as Ray Parkin and Ted Bates restricted Mayer's appearances to five matches.[4] Mayer was placed on the transfer list at a fee of £500, but the club were unable to attract any offers from Football League teams even when the fee was later halved.[2]
Eventually, Mayer joined Wellington Town of the Cheshire County League, remaining with them long enough to win a Welsh Cup winner's medal in 1940 when they defeated Swansea Town 4–1.[2]
Source:
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Stoke City | 1934–35 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Southampton | 1936–37 | Second Division | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1937–38 | Second Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |||