Back when the young midfielder made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his maiden call-up to the full England squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper throwback, a story seldom told in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and playing for England too,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?
Learning in non-league
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed almost several years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood back was a thing I definitely required.
“Building a bit of self-belief by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss 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.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I joined the youth team, the next day I trained with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut versus Luton.
Scott made 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’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 sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Within three months later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the club, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season 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 nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has started this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
