When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the senior England squad.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as 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 changed completely for me and my family.”
But how did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
His football journey has been far from a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, as he later admitted, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to remain on the island and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I missed almost four and a half years of that experience. Getting that slice of childhood 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 perhaps the most crucial things that got me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring his development after an promising start in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled Scott. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
He went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season award, was selected in the division’s best XI and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Less than 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, waiting until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the team.
His following season was equally disrupted, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost several months.
“There was quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“It was almost another setback and the year was shaping up as quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying the game, improving day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
