When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his first call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team as well,” the player said previously.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have changed drastically for myself and my family.”
So in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost four and a half years of doing that. To have that slice of youth back was a thing I definitely needed.
“To gain some confidence by returning and playing island football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an promising beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “The first day I joined the youth team, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he will represent England and I think he will progress to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Within 90 days after, he joined Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his big move
Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost four 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.
“That felt like yet another obstacle and the year 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 U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in Slovakia, forming a strong partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team under the national coach.
And he has begun this season equally as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” Scott stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for the game, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
