When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This prediction proved to be something of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden call-up to the senior Three Lions squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper throwback, a story rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for the national team too,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for myself and my family.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood again was a thing I definitely needed.
“Building some self-belief by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. It was probably the most crucial things that led me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, the teenager became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their league match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.
“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 professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an promising start in adult football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while in his teens, often being used as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he will represent England and I think he will progress to the top of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Within 90 days later, he joined the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his big move
Scott experienced a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost four months.
“There was a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in 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 the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to help them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special moments of my life,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
