When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior Three Lions team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, never mind playing in the top division and representing England as well,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But how did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Learning in non-league
Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed nearly several years of doing that. To have that slice of childhood back was something I definitely required.
“Building a bit of self-belief by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, the teenager became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an promising start in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” said Scott. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
Within 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut against Luton.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he will represent England and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Less than three months later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder endured a challenging first season with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like yet another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, developing a formidable understanding in the middle with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches to help them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” Scott stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
