When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his first summons to the full England squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind featuring in the Premier League and playing for the national team too,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has not been a conventional one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott an option and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to remain on the island and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed almost four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of youth back was a thing I really required.
“Building some confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking Scott’s development after an impressive start in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
In just a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He made 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, often being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up 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 EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was selected in the division’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he will represent England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Within three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was just as affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was almost another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” the player stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
