When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a true throwback, a story seldom seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing England as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for myself and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they released him. Bournemouth gave him 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 opted to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I missed almost several years of that experience. To have that slice of youth back was something I really needed.
“Building a bit of confidence by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring his development after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut versus the Hatters.
He went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to City and England playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Within three months after, he joined the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his big move
Scott endured a challenging first season with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“It was almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable understanding in the middle with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to help them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” Scott said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, improving day on day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
