When the young midfielder made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
That prediction turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his first summons to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for England too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Learning in non-league
Scott’s football journey has not been a conventional one.
He spent four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my friends at the weekend because I missed almost four and a half years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood again was something I definitely needed.
“Building a bit of self-belief by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be 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 the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking his early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
In just a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was selected in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent his country and I think he will progress to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s manager at the club, remarked last year.
Within three months later, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder endured a difficult first season with the club, having to wait until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, forming a strong partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has started this season just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, getting better every day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
