When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This statement proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior England squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true throwback, a story seldom told in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team too,” Scott said previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
But how did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I missed almost several years of doing that. Getting that slice of youth again was a thing I definitely needed.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a 57th-minute replacement in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive start 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 was with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and flexibility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I think he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, remarked previously.
Less than three months after, he signed for the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his big move
Scott experienced a difficult first season with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“There was a decent run at the end of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad 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 England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has excelled for the first team under the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as strongly for his club, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” the player said recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, improving every day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
