New signing Nesta Guinness-Walker reveals what he will bring to Aberdeen – and discusses his Oscar-winning great-grandfather

New Aberdeen signing Nesta Guinness-Walker insists he will bring defensive strength and an attacking edge to the left-back role.

The 26-year-old is Dons boss Stephen Robinson’s ninth signing of a summer transfer window squad rebuild.

Guinness-Walker rejected the offer of a new contract at Northampton Town.

Other English clubs were interested in landing the full-back, who was a free agent, and he has signed a two-year Pittodrie deal.

Guinness-Walker is in contention to make his Dons debut in the friendly against Linfield in Belfast on Saturday.

The defender, who is the great-grandson of a Hollywood legend, can play also play left wing-back and left sided centre-back.

Attacking and defensive attributes

He insists he will not only add granite strength to the defence, but will bomb forward on the attack and bring “excitement” to fans.

The full-back also says he has the character to thrive at Aberdeen and will “give 100% for the badge”.

Guinness-Walker said: “I back myself in one against one defensive situations and I also want to bring energy to the team.

“I started off a little further up, on the left wing, and can play anywhere on the left.

“However, I’m a left-back.

“I’m hard working and like to go forward.

“That’s part of my game, getting up and down the pitch.

“I want to bring excitement to the fans, get them off their seat and give 100% for the badge.

“That’s what I’m here to do.”

Aberdeen boss Robinson moved to bolster his left-back options with the capture of Guinness-Walker following recent injury setbacks.

Ready-to-go Guinness-Walker’s Dons ambition

Left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi is set to be ruled out by a thigh injury potentially well into August.

Promising 18-year-old left-back Jamie Mercer is out for three weeks after injuring an  ankle during the training camp in the Netherlands last week.

That leaves Mitchel Frame as the only fit outright left-back ahead of the season-opener away to Highland League Brora Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup on Tuesday.

But Frame is understood to be on the radar of BK Hacken (Sweden) and Rakow Czestochowa  (Poland) with the view to a summer transfer move.

Guinness-Walker insists he is fit and ready to go straight into action.

The full-back has experience of the English Championship with Reading and reckons Aberdeen, and boss Robinson, can help elevate his game further.

Guinness-Walker said: “Speaking to the manager was a big thing.

“He talked about the ambition of the club for next season and all the years after that.

“That is something I’m very eager to be a part of.

“He also spoke about how big the club is, its history and how much he wanted me on board to push on and improve this year.

“How he feels he can also improve me as a player, which is something I’m really eager to do.

“I’m 26 and have a good chunk of experience behind me at the level of the Championship and League One.

“The opportunity play in Scotland for a club this size is a new challenge.

“Aberdeen is a club where I can work and improve and that’s important to me.

“I’ve been keeping fit and am ready to get to work.”

Guinness-Walker was part of the Chelsea youth academy, but left the Premier League giants.

Rise from non-league to Aberdeen

He then played non-league football with Metropolitan Police before earning a move to AFC Wimbledon in 2019.

After impressing over a three-year period at Wimbledon, he signed for Reading, where he was a regular in the Championship.

For the full-back, battling back his way up from non-league is proof of his mental strength.

He said: “You always believe.

“In this game you have to believe you’re good enough and back yourself.

“That’s something I pride myself on,  my mentality and hard work.

“I wouldn’t have got the opportunity I did without hard work behind the scenes and having resilience.

“Being in an academy and then coming out of it, you realise how much you want it and have that hunger.

“That’s something I made sure I kept with me by my side throughout my career – always be grateful for the opportunity and try and seize it with both hands.”

Inspired by Oscar winning great grandfather

Aberdeen’s new left-back is the great-grandson of Academy Award-winning acting legend Sir Alec Guinness.

Sir Alec won an Oscar in 1958 for his performance in The Bridge on the River Kwai.

He also starred as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars trilogy.

The defender aims to use his legendary great-grandfather as inspiration in the bid to create his own legacy at Pittodrie.

He said: “As a family, we won’t shy away from his achievements.

“It’s something we embrace, and I’m very proud of.

“He created a legacy.

“I use that as a bit of motivation as well to create my own part of history in my family.”

[Source: Press and Journal]