When Alex Scott made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has earned his first summons to the full England team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a journey rarely told in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind playing in the top division and representing England too,” the player said in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for me and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I missed almost four and a half years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood back was something I really needed.
“To gain some self-belief by returning 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 made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented back then.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Second-tier club Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to 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 award, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I think he will represent England and I think he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Less than three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his big move
Scott experienced a challenging first season with the Cherries, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself in and out of the team.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like yet another setback and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, forming a strong partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott said recently.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”