When the young midfielder made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
That statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his first call-up to the full England team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential international star is a true throwback, a journey seldom told in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, never mind playing in the Premier League and representing England as well,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, 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 chose to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling weekly was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed almost several years of doing that. To have that slice of youth again was something I definitely needed.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by returning and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps the most crucial things that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I joined the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut versus the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wing-back – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his versatility and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, remarked last year.
Within 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his big move
Scott experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another setback and it was shaping up as quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as impressively for his club, featuring in every game to help them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” Scott said recently.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
