When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his first call-up to the full England team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper throwback, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and playing for the national team too,” Scott stated previously.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Learning in non-league
Scott’s football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart was not in it.
Rather, he chose to remain on the island and turn out 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 chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed almost four and a half years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood again was a thing I definitely needed.
“Building some self-belief by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“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 commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring his development after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I was with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, returned home and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Within three months later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a difficult first season with the club, waiting until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the team.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“There was a decent run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.
“That felt like yet another setback and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, forming a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as impressively for his club, featuring in all matches to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player said recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better every day, and with luck I impress the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
