From non-league all the way to England selection - the story of ‘Guernsey Grealish’ Scott?

When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”

That statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.

Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the full Three Lions squad.

His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom told in the modern era.

What’s next? The World Cup?

“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and representing England too,” Scott stated previously.

“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have changed completely for me and my family.”

But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?

Learning in non-league

His path in football has been far from a conventional one.

He spent over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.

Before he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

Rather, he chose to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.

“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he recalled.

“I just wanted to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that slice of childhood back was a thing I really required.

“To gain some self-belief 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 made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league match at the opposition.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented back then.

“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”

Making a comeback to the professional game

Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an promising start in men’s football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.

“It was hectic,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.

“Midweek I played for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”

Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.

Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.

Thanks to his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and England playmaker Grealish.

By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“Without question, I believe he will represent England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.

Within 90 days after, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.

Getting his major transfer

The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make 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 a decent run at the end of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.

“It was almost another obstacle and the year was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first half.”

But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.

He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, forming a strong partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.

And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.

“Representing the national team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott stated recently.

“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”