Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This prediction turned out to be something of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his maiden call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a proper throwback, a journey rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of becoming a professional football player, never mind featuring in the top division and playing for the national team as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his island 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 released him. The Cherries were willing to offer him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost several years of doing that. Getting that slice of youth again was something I really needed.
“Building a bit of self-belief by returning and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial factors that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring his early progress after an promising start in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and England playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Less than 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“I had a decent run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained he.
“It was yet another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to help them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” the player said recently.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a player, keep enjoying the game, improving day on day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”
