When Alex Scott made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the full England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a true throwback, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for the national team as well,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Developing in non-league
His football journey has not been a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott 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 stay on the island and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost several years of that experience. To have that little bit of youth back was something I really needed.
“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and playing local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He made 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
With his ability to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed 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 believe he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Less than 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
Scott experienced a difficult first season with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as affected, 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 good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like yet another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to help them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, getting better every day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
