When Alex Scott made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the senior England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone playing in the top division and representing England as well,” the player said previously.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have transformed completely for me and my family.”
But how did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Developing in the lower tiers
Scott’s football journey has not been a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an option 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 remain on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at the weekend because I had missed almost several years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood again was something I definitely needed.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and playing island football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Second-tier club Bristol City – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus the Hatters.
He made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he will represent England and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Within three months after, he signed for the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging first season with the Cherries, waiting until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly several months.
“I had quite a good run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“It was almost another obstacle and the year was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has excelled for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” Scott said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
