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When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”

This statement turned out to be something of an understatement.

Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his first call-up to the senior England team.

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

Next stop? A major tournament?

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

“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my family.”

So how did Alex Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up at this level?

Developing in non-league

Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.

He was part of four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.

Before his 13th birthday, though, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart was not in it.

Rather, he opted to remain on the island and turn out for his hometown club.

“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.

“I just wanted to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed almost four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood back was something I really needed.

“Building a bit of confidence by returning and playing local football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”

At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss 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 a class act.”

Making a comeback to the professional game

Championship side Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an impressive beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.

“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.

“Midweek I played for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”

In just 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.

He went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was the standout performer.

With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to City and national team playmaker Grealish.

By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’s best young player award, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“No doubt, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated previously.

Within three months after, he joined the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.

Getting his major transfer

Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make 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 almost four months.

“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained he.

“That felt like yet another setback and it 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 get himself fit for the tournament.

He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with his teammate, who himself has excelled for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.

And he has begun this season just as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to guide them to fifth in the standings.

“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.

“It’s down to me, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, improving every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”