When Alex Scott made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
That statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his first summons to the full England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a proper throwback, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for the national team as well,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have transformed completely for myself and my family.”
So in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up 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 Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he opted to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“All I desired to chill at my home with my friends at the weekend because I missed almost several years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood again was something I definitely required.
“To gain a bit of confidence by returning and playing local football was huge for me. It was probably one of the most important factors that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
He went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Within three months later, he joined the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for almost several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has started this season just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
