When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
That statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has earned his first summons to the senior Three Lions team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, never mind featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott said previously.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for myself and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has not been a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood back was something I definitely needed.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“Midweek I played for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Within 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
The midfielder endured a challenging debut campaign with the club, having to wait until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent 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 a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“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 Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for the game, improving every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
