When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This statement proved to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has earned his first summons to the full Three Lions squad.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a proper throwback, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and playing for England too,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
So in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart was not in it.
Instead, he opted to remain on the island and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my friends at the weekend because I missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that little bit of youth back was a thing I really required.
“To gain some confidence by returning and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial 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 was introduced as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
In just 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut versus Luton.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, often being used as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, remarked previously.
Within three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a difficult first season with the Cherries, having to wait until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost four months.
“There was a decent run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to help them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” Scott said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
