Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the full Three Lions team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper throwback, a journey seldom told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, never mind featuring in the top division and representing England as well,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for myself and my family.”
But in what way did Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they released him. Bournemouth gave Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to remain on Guernsey and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my mates at the weekend because I missed almost four and a half years of doing that. Getting that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”
When he was just 16, the teenager became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“It was hectic,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I was with the first team, which was a total shock.
“Midweek I featured for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a certainty for me to sign a contract.”
Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s best young player award, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game,” his former manager, the player’s manager at the club, remarked previously.
Less than 90 days later, he signed for the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
Scott endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like yet another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected 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 tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and with luck I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
