Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
That statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his first summons to the full Three Lions team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential international star is a proper blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone playing in the Premier League and representing England too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for myself and my family.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost several years of doing that. To have that slice of youth again was something I definitely needed.
“To gain some self-belief by returning and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps the most crucial factors that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
Scott made eighty-three league outings for the club while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he’ll play for England and I think he will progress to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Within 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging 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 in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was almost another setback and it was shaping up as a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” the player said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
