When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his first call-up to the senior Three Lions team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper throwback, a story rarely told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, never mind playing in the Premier League and representing the national team as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s football journey has not been a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to fly from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to stay on Guernsey and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I had missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and playing local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention 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 Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been tracking his early progress after an promising start in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the club while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s best young player 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 his country and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s boss at the club, remarked previously.
Less than three months after, he joined the Cherries for a understood fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself in and out of the team.
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 close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was yet another setback and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign equally as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
