Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the senior England team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper blast from the past, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind featuring in the top division and representing the national team too,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for me and my loved ones.”
But how did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to stay on the island and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling 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 had missed almost four and a half years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood again was something I really needed.
“Building a bit of confidence by returning and playing local football was massive for me. It was probably 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 came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having 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 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.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an promising start in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I was with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
He went on to make 83 league outings for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder 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 the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Less than 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, waiting until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for nearly several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“It was almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to help them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for the game, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
