Back when the young midfielder made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction proved to be something of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the full Three Lions squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, never mind playing in the Premier League and representing England too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed completely for me and my loved ones.”
So in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth 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 heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at weekends because I had missed almost several years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood again was something I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by returning and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
He made eighty-three league appearances for the club while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
With his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for his country and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Less than 90 days later, he signed for the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging first season with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign just as strongly for his club, playing in every game to help them to the top five in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
