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

Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”

This statement proved to be something of an understatement.

Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden summons to the senior Three Lions team.

His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a true throwback, a story rarely told in the modern game.

What’s next? The World Cup?

“In my mind, there was no chance of becoming a professional football player, never mind playing in the top division and representing England too,” the player stated previously.

“It has been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”

So in what way did Alex Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up at this level?

Developing in non-league

His path in football has not been a typical one.

He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.

Prior to he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart was not in it.

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

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

“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood back was a thing I really required.

“To gain some confidence by returning and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps the most crucial factors that led me to this point.”

At the age of 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.

“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager the coach stated at the time.

“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”

Making a comeback to the professional game

Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an promising beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.

“It was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.

“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to sign a deal.”

Within a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.

He went on to make 83 league outings for the club while still a teenager, often being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.

Thanks to his skill to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.

By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season 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 England and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at the club, stated previously.

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

Securing his big move

Scott endured a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the team.

His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly several months.

“I had quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.

“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first five months.”

But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness in time.

He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.

And he has begun the current campaign equally as strongly for his club, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.

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

“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”