When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper throwback, a story seldom told in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and playing for the national team as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for myself and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to remain on Guernsey and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at the weekend because I missed almost four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of youth again was something I definitely needed.
“Building some self-belief by returning and playing island football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their league match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his ability to carry the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and England attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Within three months later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging first season with the club, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly several months.
“There was a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in the middle with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in every game to guide them to the top five in the table.
“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest occasions of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
