Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his maiden call-up to the senior England squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom told in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, never mind playing in the top division and representing the national team as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries gave Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to stay on the island and play for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed nearly several years of that experience. To have that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably one of the most important factors that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss the coach stated back then.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring his development after an promising start in men’s football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against the Hatters.
Scott went on to make eighty-three league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his versatility and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won 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 think he’ll play for his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated previously.
Less than three months after, he joined the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
The midfielder endured a difficult first season with the club, having to wait until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, forming a formidable understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
