When Alex Scott made 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.”
That prediction turned out to be a bit of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden call-up to the full England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team as well,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s path in football has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I had missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of childhood back was a thing I definitely needed.
“Building a bit of self-belief by returning and playing local football was huge for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an promising beginning in men’s football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“It was hectic,” said the player. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the next day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home 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 sign a contract.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while in his teens, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age 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 reference to City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Less than three months after, he joined Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like yet another setback and it was shaping up as quite a terrible 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 went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the first team under the national coach.
And he has started this season equally as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my life,” the player stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
