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When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”

This prediction proved to be something of an understatement.

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

His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern game.

Next stop? A major tournament?

“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing England as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.

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

But how did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?

Developing in non-league

His path in football has not been a conventional one.

He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.

Before his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

Instead, he chose to remain on the island and turn out for his local team.

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

“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly several years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood back was a thing I really needed.

“To gain some self-belief by returning and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial factors that got 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 was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach stated back then.

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

Returning to the professional game

Championship side Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.

“It was hectic,” said the player. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.

“Midweek I played for his local side in London, returned home and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a deal.”

In just 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.

He went on to make eighty-three league outings for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.

With his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to City and England attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“Without question, I believe he will represent England and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.

Less than three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.

Getting his major transfer

Scott endured a challenging first season with the club, having to wait until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.

His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.

“I had a decent run at the end of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.

“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad 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 went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in Slovakia, forming a strong understanding in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.

And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for his club, playing in every game to help them to fifth in the standings.

“To play for the national team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player stated recently.

“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”