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 assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his first call-up to the full England team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a proper throwback, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind playing in the Premier League and representing the national team as well,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Developing in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, 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 mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to remain on the island and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed almost several years of that experience. Getting that little bit of childhood again was a thing I definitely required.
“Building some self-belief by returning and playing island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important factors that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their league match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an impressive start in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was hectic,” recalled Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“Midweek I played for his local side in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut against Luton.
He made eighty-three league outings for the club while in his teens, often being used as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability 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 rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player honour, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the game,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Less than three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
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 England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, improving every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
