he sold Dean Saunders to Aston Villa. While Saunders was a key player in Villa's near-successful title challenge, his successor Paul Stewart proved to be a huge disappointment, scoring just one league goal from 32 appearances over the next two seasons, struggling with injuries as well as inconsistent form. Top scorer Ian Rush was having a difficult time getting goals, and Liverpool spent most of the season in the bottom half of the table. They entered March still only in 15th place, but an excellent final quarter of the season, in which Rush scored 11 Premier League goals, saw them finish sixth. This time there was no success in any of the cup competitions, meaning that there would be no European action for Liverpool in the 1993–94 season. Aside the six seasons when Liverpool were banned from European competitions, this was the first time since 1963 that Liverpool had failed to qualify for Europe. The pressure on Souness continued to mount throughout 1993, but he made one last attempt at revitalising Liverpool by signing defender Julian Dicks and striker Nigel Clough for the 1993–94 season. The season began well, but the disappointing results quickly returned and talk of winning the Premier League title was soon forgotten. Souness finally resigned as Liverpool manager at the end of January 1994 when Liverpool had suffered a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Bristol City. He was succeeded by long-serving coach Roy Evans. Souness's three-year reign as Liverpool manager was not remembered with fondness by the club's fans, although his reign did bring some success to the club. Apart from guiding them to FA Cup success in 1992, he also oversaw the breakthrough of three young players who would go on to be a key part in Liverpool's improved performances over the next five years – Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Redknapp, allowing them to play and develop in the first team where they went on to inspire an upturn in fortunes at Anfield. Souness later claimed in his autobiography The Management Years that he faced an uphill struggle from day one for a number of reasons. The majority of key players were in their late 20s or early 30s when he took over, and some appeared to have passed their peak. He knew they had eventually to be replaced and he doubted some of their desire. He claims in his