When Alex Scott made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has earned his first summons to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for the national team as well,” the player stated previously.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for me and my family.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Learning in non-league
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at the weekend because I missed almost several years of doing that. To have that slice of youth back was something I really required.
“Building some confidence by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance 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.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been tracking his early progress after an promising start in men’s football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility 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 moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Within three months after, he signed for the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first five months.”
But he was then called up 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 tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable understanding in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign equally as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” the player stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
