When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
This prediction turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has earned his maiden summons to the full Three Lions squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper blast from the past, a journey rarely told in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for the national team too,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for me and my family.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Learning in non-league
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart was not in it.
Rather, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play for his local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I had missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. Getting that little bit of childhood back was a thing I really required.
“To gain some confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that got me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
In just 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
He made 83 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 versatility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s best young player award, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was voted the club’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 pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked last year.
Less than 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder endured a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the team.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like yet another setback and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start 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 England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, developing a strong partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as strongly for his club, featuring 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 stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving every day, and with luck I impress the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
