Manager Jim Gannon signed powerful front man Devante Rodney, a former Hartlepool striker, and versatile attacking midfielder Tom Walker, on loan from SkyBet League Two neighbours Salford City until January 2020, and both are available for the Emirates FA Cup.

Rodney (pictured), 21, signed for Salford in June 2018 for a reported £20,000 fee from Hartlepool.

He’d spent 6 years in the Manchester City academy before moving to Sheffield Wednesday in 2013 as part of their development squad.

In 2017, he headed north-east to join Pools, but opted to return to his native north-west to link up with the Ammies a year later.

He’s made 26 appearances for Salford and has played 3 times in League Two during the current campaign.

Rodney ended last season in the National League, scoring 7 goals in 12 appearances during a two-month loan spell with FC Halifax Town.

He returned to Salford at the end of the campaign to feature in their Promotion Final victory over Eastleigh to win a place in the Football League.

Walker, 23, will be no stranger to County fans, having spent a brief spell at Edgeley Park at the start of 2017/18 before moving on to FC United of Manchester after 5 appearances for the Hatters.

Walker joined Salford in January 2018 and made his debut for the Ammies in a 2-2 draw at Edgeley Park.

He went on to make 18 appearances and scored 6 goals to help Salford lift the National League North title, prompting an England C call-up in May 2018.

He made it back-to-back promotions with the Ammies after winning the Promotion Final at Wembley a year later.

Born in Salford, Walker was part of the Bolton Wanderers academy from the age of 9 and made his Football League debut under Neil Lennon ten years later before joining Bury on a season-long loan in 2016/17.

He has now played in every professional division outside the Premier League.

Gannon told https://www.stockportcounty.com: “I am delighted to be able to announce the signings of Devante and Tom, as both are proven winners at this level.

“We’ve had our eye on Devante for some time, and I’m really pleased to add him to the squad, as he has an eye for goal and offers a different option to our existing front men.

“We have also been monitoring Tom Walker very closely, because we always felt he had the capacity to mature into a very good player, and that’s exactly what has happened. He will immediately give us more options across the attacking midfield positions”.

Walker made an immediate impression against Hartlepool last night, scoring the second goal.