The Hatters have made a double signing on the eve of tomorrow’s televised National League clash with Hartlepool United at Edgeley Park.
Jim Gannon has signed powerful front man Devante Rodney, a former Pools striker, and versatile attacking midfielder Tom Walker, on loan from Salford City until January 2020, and both are available for the FA Cup.
21-year-old Rodney signed for Salford in June 2018 for a reported £20,000 fee from Hartlepool.
He’d spent six years in the Manchester City Academy before moving to Sheffield Wednesday in 2013 as part of their Development Squad.
In 2017, he headed northeast to join Pools, but opted to return to his native northwest to link up with the Ammies a year later. He’s made 26 appearances for Salford City, and has played three times in League Two during the current campaign.
Devante ended last season in the National League, scoring seven goals in 12 appearances during a two-month loan spell with Halifax Town. He returned to Salford at the end of the campaign to feature in their Play Off final victory over Eastleigh to win promotion to the Football League.
Tom 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 after five appearances for the Hatters.
Tom soon joined Salford, making the move to Moor Lane in January 2018, and made his debut for the Ammies in a two-all draw at Edgeley Park. He went on to make 18 appearances and scored six 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 National League Play-Off final at Wembley a year later.
Born in Salford, Tom was part of the Bolton Wanderers Academy from the age of nine 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.
Manager Jim Gannon said: “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.”
