When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This statement turned out to be something of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his maiden summons to the senior Three Lions squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential international star is a true throwback, 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 England too,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Developing in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. The Cherries were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play 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 my home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost several years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood back was something I definitely needed.
“Building some confidence by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that got me where I am today.”
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 substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the next day I was with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home 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.”
Within a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. 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 earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was selected in the division’s best XI and was named 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’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s manager at the club, stated last year.
Within three months after, he joined Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, waiting until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself in and out of the team.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost four months.
“There was a decent run at the end of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was almost another setback and the year was shaping up as quite a terrible start for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my career,” Scott said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better every day, and with luck I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
