When Alex Scott made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be something of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the senior Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and representing England too,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for me and my family.”
So how did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Developing in non-league
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he opted to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed almost four and a half years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood back was something I definitely needed.
“Building some confidence by returning and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led 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 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking his early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated previously.
Less than 90 days later, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder endured a challenging debut campaign with the club, waiting until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was yet another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in 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 strong understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, 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 get my chance.”
