six months as manager, bringing in Dean Saunders for an English record of £2.9 million as well as defenders Mark Wright and Rob Jones and midfielder Mark Walters. He also gave a regular place in the team to 19-year-old midfielder Steve McManaman, whose debut had come under Dalglish in December 1990, and a debut to one of Dalglish's last signings, teenage midfielder Jamie Redknapp. And at the end of that campaign, he gave a professional contract to 17-year-old striker Robbie Fowler. During the 1991–92 season, Liverpool rarely looked like serious title contenders, but it soon became a two-horse race between Manchester United and Leeds United. Leeds eventually took the title, while Liverpool came sixth. They returned to European competition that season after six years of isolation following the Heysel disaster of 1985, and reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Genoa. By April 1992, they were only in contention for the FA Cup. Souness had major heart surgery in April 1992. A controversy arose after the FA Cup semi-final against Portsmouth, which Liverpool needed a replay and penalties to win. In the event of a victory for Liverpool, an interview was due to be published in the Sun, a British tabloid, with Souness celebrating the win and his own successful surgery. The photograph which accompanied the interview was of Souness, in his hospital ward, kissing his girlfriend with joy at his own recovery and his team's win. The interview was due to go in alongside the match report on 14 April 1992, but the late end to the game meant the deadline for publication was missed and the report, with interview and photograph, went in on 15 April instead – the third anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. Liverpool fans reacted with fury after seeing the interview was conducted with The Sun, a newspaper which had been reviled and widely shunned on Merseyside following its false reporting on the disaster. Souness himself had restricted Liverpool players from talking to The Sun. Although he apologised at the time, Souness has since said that he probably should have resigned there and then. There were continued calls from fans for Souness to resign or be sacked. Souness attended the 1992 FA Cup Final, which Liverpool won 2–0 against Sunderland, against the advice of his doctors. 1992–93 was an even more frustrating season for Souness. Just after the start of the season,