Back when Alex Scott made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction turned out to be a bit of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden call-up to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper throwback, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind featuring in the top division and representing England as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have changed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries gave Scott an option and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to remain on the island and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at the weekend because I had missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood back was something I really needed.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was perhaps the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work 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 exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. It was almost a certainty for me to put pen to paper on 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 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. 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 earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Less than three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had quite a good run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was yet another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign equally as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” Scott stated recently.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and with luck I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
