When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This prediction proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom told in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone featuring in the top division and representing the national team as well,” Scott said previously.
“It has been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Learning in non-league
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he chose to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at weekends because I missed nearly several years of that experience. Getting that little bit of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by returning and playing local football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps the most crucial things that got me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance stated back then.
“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 Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in adult football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the next day I was with the first team, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a contract.”
In just a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut versus Luton.
He went on to make 83 league outings for the club while still a teenager, often being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Within 90 days later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
Scott experienced a challenging first season with the club, having to wait until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“There was a decent run at the end of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team under the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches 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 said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
