When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That prediction proved to be something of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his first summons to the senior England team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom told in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, let alone playing in the top division and representing England as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for me and my family.”
But how did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in non-league
His football journey has not been a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to stay on the island and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.
“All I desired to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost several years of doing that. To have that slice of youth again was something I really needed.
“Building a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial things that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“Midweek I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against Luton.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘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 best young player honour, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for England and I think he will progress to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, remarked last year.
Within three months later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several 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 almost another setback and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first five months.”
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 Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”