When Alex Scott made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his first summons to the full Three Lions squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true throwback, a story seldom told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for England as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for me and my family.”
But how did Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Developing in non-league
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to remain on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed almost several years of doing that. To have that little bit of youth again was something I really needed.
“To gain some confidence by returning and taking part in local football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that led me where I am today.”
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 Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring his early progress after an promising beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and netted a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
Scott made eighty-three league outings for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to City and national team playmaker Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, remarked last year.
Within 90 days after, he signed for the Cherries for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the club, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for almost four months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and it was shaping up as quite a terrible start for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior 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 continue developing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
