When the young midfielder made his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the senior England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper blast from the past, a journey seldom told in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, never mind featuring in the Premier League and playing for the national team as well,” Scott stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed completely for myself and my family.”
So how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s football journey has not been a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart was not in it.
Rather, he opted to stay on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of that experience. Getting that little bit of childhood again was something I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial factors that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott became the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was hectic,” said the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
In just 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against Luton.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his ability to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.
Within three months after, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
Scott endured a challenging debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained Scott.
“It was yet another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the competition in Slovakia, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to help them to the top five in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my life,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving every day, and hopefully I impress the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
