When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be a bit of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first call-up to the full Three Lions team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story rarely told in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the top division and playing for England too,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my family.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Learning in non-league
His path in football has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he opted to remain on the island and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood back was a thing I definitely required.
“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the second day I was with the first team, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player honour, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Less than 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a challenging first season with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly several months.
“There was a decent run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, developing a strong understanding in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has started this season just as impressively for his club, featuring in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” the player stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
