Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the senior England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a true throwback, a story seldom seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and representing England too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Learning in non-league
Scott’s football journey has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries gave Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of childhood back was a thing I definitely required.
“Building some confidence by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club Bristol City – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an promising beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position 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 picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player honour, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Less than 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
