Jim Bentley says he is pleased with the deadline day additions to his squad.
Dale brought in defender Toby Mullarkey from Altrincham, as well as securing a return to the club for Dan Adshead, on loan from Cheltenham until the end of the season.
Mullarkey joined on an undisclosed fee from The Robins and was someone who has been on Bentley’s radar for some time.
“We’ve been looking to get fresh bodies in and fresh blood,” said Bentley.
“Toby is a player we’ve been watching. He’s highly regarded at the level. He’s a bit of a late developer but has been one of the best players in that division over the last couple of years.
“Everyone speaks really highly of him. He’s athletic, a good size, has pace, can handle the ball and he’s aggressive.
“He ticks a lot of boxes and gives us a good option in that area.”
Adshead returns to the club three-and-a-half years after leaving for then Premier League club Norwich City.
He was with Dale from the age of eight, rising through the Academy ranks, before joining the Canaries at 17-years-old.
“Dan knows the club and is a good player. We’ve tried to inject new blood into all areas of the pitch.
“He gives us competition in the middle of the park. It’s an area that we’ve been trying to strengthen from day one.
“We’ve missed out on some targets and there were a few moving parts on deadline day, with a potential one or two going out, a potential one or two coming in, but we did need bodies in there.
“He’s got a little bit of a knock at the minute, so whether this weekend comes a bit too soon for him, we’ll see.
“It’s good to have him back at the club where it all started. He gives us a different option and different qualities to what we’ve already got in there.
“We’re pleased to have them both on board. Tuesday was a hectic day but I’m pleased with what we did in the end.”
We will bring you Bentley’s full pre-match interview on Friday morning.
