sat down during a "sulking session" against a goalpost at half-time of the season opener whilst his teammates were still in the changing rooms while two goals down to newly promoted Leeds United (a game Everton eventually lost 3–2); Southall was fined two weeks wages despite denying it was a protest and that he simply did it to clear his head. He then received a phone call from Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, but Southall's hostile phone manner put Ferguson off the idea of signing him, and Ferguson instead bought Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel. Howard Kendall returned as Everton manager in November, with Colin Harvey being demoted to his assistant, and led the club out of relegation trouble to secure a ninth-place finish. They also reached the final of the Full Members Cup at Wembley, losing 4–1 to Crystal Palace, though Southall refused to collect his runners-up medal as he did not value the competition. Everton were a declining force, and finished 12th in the league in 1991–92 whilst exiting both the FA Cup and League Cup at the Fourth Round. They then finished 13th in the 1992–93 season in the newly created Premier League, just four points above the relegation zone. Kendall resigned mid-way through the 1993–94 campaign and was replaced by Mike Walker – Southall later described Walker as a man who loved his suntan more than football. Walker oversaw a run of bad results and Everton only escaped relegation with a final day victory over Wimbledon, winning 3–2 after turning round a 2–0 deficit. Southall saw that his teammates were reluctant to take a penalty in the match and so took the ball himself before Graham Stuart plucked up the courage to take the ball from him and convert the penalty. Everton picked up four points from their opening 12 league games of the 1994–95 season, and Southall received death threats after being confronted by an Everton fan during a match at Goodison Park. Walker was sacked and replaced by Joe Royle, who led the club to a 2–0 win over Liverpool in his first match in charge – this game also marked a record 35th Merseyside derby appearance for Southall. It was also the second match of seven consecutive games Everton went without conceding a goal – another club record. Southall then conceded just one goal (a penalty) in five games en route to the 1995