A need for cover at left back saw us swoop for Nesta Guinness-Walker in January 2024; the defender coming in on loan from fellow League One side Reading. He was our third addition of that particular window as we looked to make sure we remained in the 2023-4 promotion hunt. While only temporary in its nature, the deal looked decent enough on paper. At that point of the campaign, Guinness-Walker had 11 outings to his name at the Madejski Stadium. He may not have been a regular starter. But it’s not as if he was completely out in the wilderness.

Of course, that became irrelevant when he arrived at the Lamex. We needed cover in his position and the Royals were in a mood to allow the deal to happen. And boss Steve Evans, more importantly, got his man. Talking to the official website as is so often the norm with new signings, Evans said: “We are delighted to get Nesta into the Stevenage dressing room. He is a young man with a fantastic attitude and great ability. He can play anywhere down the left-hand side of the pitch, adding a balance we have needed for some time.”

Kudos to us also for making it this far before mentioning Guinness-Walker is the great-grandson of Sir Alec Guinness.

Nesta Guinness-Walker: Before Boro’

Guinness-Walker signed for the Royals in summer 2022 after a successful trial – and his debut campaign seemed to be promising enough too. Prior to that, the defender gained valuable Football League experience in a three-year spell with AFC Wimbledon. The Dons had plucked the player from non-league football; Metropolitan Police signing him as a fresh 17-year-old prospect. And it was initially with Premier League giants Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur where he first cut his footballing teeth in their respective academy sides.