When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper throwback, a story seldom seen in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, never mind playing in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for me and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in non-league
Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before he turned 13, though, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at home with my mates at weekends because I missed nearly several years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood back was a thing I definitely needed.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and playing local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented back then.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to sign a contract.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut versus the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – 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 carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent England and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, remarked last year.
Within 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and it was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, developing a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has excelled for the senior side with 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.
“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
