When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the senior Three Lions squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and playing for England as well,” Scott said previously.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Alex Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s football journey has not been a conventional one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an option and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart was not in it.
Instead, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood back was something I definitely needed.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by returning and playing local football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” manager 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.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” said the player. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and on the 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.”
In just 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Less than 90 days later, he joined the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
The midfielder endured a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“There was a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“It was yet another setback and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, forming a strong partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as impressively for his club, playing in all matches to help them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
