When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his first call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott said previously.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
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 four and a half 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 train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.
“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 childhood again was something I really needed.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. It was probably the most crucial things that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league match at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” manager the coach commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an promising start in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled the player. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and netted a hat-trick. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
In just a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut against the Hatters.
He made 83 league outings for the club while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder 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 league’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for his country and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Within 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his big move
Scott experienced a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost several months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” the player said recently.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
