Oldham Athletic great Joe Royle has been honoured with a prestigious award.

The 70-year-old was handed the Lifetime Achievement gong at the Northwest Football Awards at a star-studded ceremony in Manchester.

The Liverpudlian gained legendary status at Boundary Park with a 12-year stint as manager between 1982 and 1994.

He guided Latics to the First Division in 1991, a year before it became the Premier League, and reached the League Cup final in 1990.

Now a director of Wigan Athletic, Royle returned as Oldham boss for a brief caretaker spell in 2009.

The award also recognised his achievements with Everton and Manchester City, both as a player and a manager, the former striker also winning six England caps that saw him score two goals.  

“I honestly didn’t expect this,” he said on receiving the award at Emirates Old Trafford.

“It is a marvellous thing to be accepted and honoured by your peers and by fans, and don’t forget it is a fan game.

“I’m really touched, it’s wonderful. I’m a very lucky man, I’m still involved in football now.

“I signed my first contract for Everton when I was 14 years old and here I am at 70 still involved and still getting the buzz of going to watch a team every Saturday.

“It’s all left one or two scars, I’ve got to say, but I wouldn’t change a day.”