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When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”

This statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.

Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the senior Three Lions team.

His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper throwback, a story seldom told in the modern era.

What’s next? A major tournament?

“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and representing England too,” the player said in a recent interview.

“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”

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

Learning in the lower tiers

His football journey has been far from a typical one.

He was part of over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air 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 were willing to offer Scott 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.

Rather, he opted to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.

“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he recalled.

“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at the weekend because I missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. Getting that little bit of childhood again was a thing I really required.

“To gain a bit of self-belief by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”

When he was just 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.

“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.

“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”

Returning to the professional game

Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring his development after an promising start in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.

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

“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played 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 a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.

Scott went on to make eighty-three league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.

With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.

“Without question, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.

Within three months later, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.

Getting his major transfer

The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.

His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost several months.

“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.

“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 called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.

He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable understanding in the middle with Elliot Anderson, 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, playing in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.

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

“It’s down to me, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”