JONNY Maxted has earned a return to the Football League with the club who were on the receiving end of his FA Cup heroics.

Accrington Stanley were so impressed with his performances when the Lions knocked them out in a first-round replay that they have signed him on an 18-month contract.

The League Two side will pay Guiseley an undisclosed fee for the 25-year-old who made a series of stunning saves – including two in the penalty shoot-out – as they look to push for promotion.

News of Maxted’s move came just hours before the Lions signed Republic of Irleand international centre back Sean St Ledger and Burnley defender Harry Flowers to bolster their squad.

The Lions had tried to play down speculation over Maxted’s move describing his absence from last Saturday’s 2-1 National league defeat at AFC Fylde as being due to sickness.

Joe Green deputised between the sticks while 18-year-old Academy keeper Fletcher Paley was signed on National League forms 24 hours before the game.

Green, a summer signing from Scarborough Athletic, played five games under previous manager Adam Lockwood, but lost his place when Paul Cox took over.

It remains to be seen if Cox will try to sign an experienced keeper to compete with Green.

Maxted initially joined them in September 2016 on a three-month loan from Forest Green before making the deal permanent last January.

In all he played 59 games for Guiseley and distinguished himself as a fine shot-stopper. Maxted, the nephew of Guiseley’s 1991 FA Vase winning goalkeeper Paul Maxted, is now getting his second chance at Football League level.

He started out at Doncaster Rovers and made it to the first team subs bench at the age of 16 and gained experience in loan spells at Goole and Gainsborough Trinity.

After leaving Doncaster he spent some time at Hartlepool before joining Forest Green at the start of the 2015-16 season.

Boss Cox was busy yesterday completing the signings of defenders St ledger and Flowers.

St Ledger has just finished a spell with his local club Solihull Moors, who he joined on a short-term contract until January after being out of the game for two years.

He came to their attention when he asked to train with them.

The 33 year-old started his career at Peterborough United before securing a move to Preston North End in the Championship, where he made 185 appearances over a five-year spell.

He then joined Leicester City where he stayed for three years in between loan stints at Middlesbrough and Millwall, making 36 appearances.

Despite only making one appearance due to a recurring knee injury, St Ledger was part of the Foxes squad that won promotion to the Premier League in the 2013/14 season.

The ex-Republic of Ireland international made the move to the MLS in 2015 – linking up with football icon Kaka at Orlando City, before moving on to Colorado Rapids.

St Ledger has 37 caps and three goals to his name for Republic of Ireland and made his debut against Nigeria at Craven Cottage in 2009 under Giovanni Trapattoni.

He represented his nation at Euro 2012 and netted the equaliser in the 3-1 group stage defeat to Croatia in Poland.

Flowers, the 21-year-old grandson of former Wolves and England legend Ron, joined the Clarets from Midland League Premier Division side Brocton in March.