When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
That prediction proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the senior Three Lions squad.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a story rarely told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, never mind playing in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for me and my family.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system from the age of eight, skipping school each Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer him an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood again was something I definitely required.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. It was probably one of the most important factors that got 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 replacement in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because he’s that good,” manager the coach commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by islander their owner – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an promising start in adult football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He made 83 league outings for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With 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 reference to City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at the club, stated last year.
Within three months later, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
