When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This prediction turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true throwback, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of childhood again was a thing I really required.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that got me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as 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 had 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 outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in men’s football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“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 netted a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
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 reference to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s best young player honour, was selected in the division’s best XI and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent England and I think he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at the club, stated previously.
Within 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a challenging first season with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” Scott stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
