became the FA Premier League) as Second Division champions. Royle's teams won many friends with their cavalier style of play, which was particularly evident during the season that they played on artificial turf on their home ground. Oldham reached a cup final for the first time in 1990 when they reached the final of the League Cup, but they were beaten 1–0 by Nottingham Forest. They also reached the FA Cup semi-finals that season, and held Manchester United to a 3–3 draw in the first match at Maine Road before losing the replay 2–1. When England national football team manager Bobby Robson announced in May 1990 that he would be quitting the job after the World Cup that summer, Royle's name was strongly linked with the role and the Football Association shortlisted him along with Graham Taylor and Howard Kendall. This was despite Royle having yet to manage in the First Division; whereas in contrast Kendall had won two league titles, an FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup with Everton, and Taylor had taken both Aston Villa and Watford to runners-up spot in the top flight and Watford to an FA Cup final. Incredibly, Royle was selected on the shortlist ahead of Terry Venables, the Tottenham Hotspur manager whose managerial CV included taking Barcelona to the Spanish league title and to a European Cup final, as well as guiding Queen's Park Rangers to an FA Cup final in 1982. Venables himself had expressed interest in the job – which would finally become his in January 1994. In the event, Graham Taylor was appointed as England's new manager. In 1991, Oldham finished champions of the Second Division, and were promoted to the First Division where they had last played 68 years earlier. Royle was able to attract established stars to Oldham, as well as developing talent which would go on to excel at a higher level. These included striker Graeme Sharp – one of the most accomplished goalscorers of the past decade – who was signed from Everton in 1991, midfielder Mike Milligan (who was sold to Everton for £1million in 1990 and signed back for £600,000 a year later), left back Earl Barrett (who was one of the most expensive defenders in England when he was sold to Aston Villa for £1.7million in early 1992) and right-back Denis Irwin, who was signed on a free transfer from Leeds United