When Alex Scott made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his first call-up to the full Three Lions team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential international star is a true throwback, a story rarely told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and representing the national team too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he chose to remain on Guernsey and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to chill at home with my friends at the weekend because I had missed almost four and a half years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood again was a thing I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back 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 came on as a 57th-minute replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” manager the coach commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an promising start in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in London, returned home 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 put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder 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 named the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I think he will represent England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game,” his former manager, the player’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Less than three months after, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the club, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“There was a decent run at the end of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as impressively for his club, playing in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
