[1] He played for Easington Colliery Welfare before the First World War, and afterwards signed for South Shields of the Football League Second Division.
He made his Football League debut on 8 April 1922, in a 4–0 defeat away to Blackpool, and played once more the following season, before moving on to Durham City of the Third Division North.
[8][9] He finished his three seasons with York City with 31 Midland League goals from 70 matches,[10] and was again selected for the Rest against champions Mansfield Town.
[11] He signed for Second Division Notts County for the 1929–30 season,[12] but although he scored freely for their reserves in the Midland League, he found it difficult to break through the first team.
[4] The 1939 Register finds Merritt living with his wife, Edith, and two children in Henry Street, Houghton-le-Spring, and working as a general labourer.