From grassroots all the way to national team selection - who is the ‘Grealish of Guernsey’ Alex Scott?

When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”

That statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.

Now aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his first summons to the senior England team.

His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true throwback, a story rarely seen in the modern era.

What’s next? A major tournament?

“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team as well,” Scott stated previously.

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

But how did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?

Learning in non-league

Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.

He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.

Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

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

“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.

“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at weekends because I had missed almost four and a half years of that experience. Getting that little bit of youth back was something I really required.

“To gain some confidence by returning and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial things that led me where I am today.”

When he was just 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced 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 side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach stated at the time.

“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”

Returning to the professional game

Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an promising start in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.

“It was chaos,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.

“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a three goals. 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 earning his first-team debut versus Luton.

Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position 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 picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.

“No doubt, 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 manager at the club, stated last year.

Less than three months after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.

Getting his big move

Scott endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.

His following season was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.

“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.

“It was almost another setback and the year was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first five months.”

But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.

He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, developing a strong partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.

And he has started this season equally as strongly for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.

“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.

“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”