When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the full England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the top division and representing England as well,” Scott stated previously.
“It has been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have transformed completely for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Developing in the lower tiers
His path in football has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth 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 local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at weekends because I missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood back was a thing I definitely needed.
“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss the coach commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the way he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking his development after an promising beginning in adult football and arranged a trial in late 2019.
“It was hectic,” said the player. “Day one I joined the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and by Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus the Hatters.
He went on to make 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated previously.
Within three months later, he joined the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the team.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.
“That felt like yet another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He started five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the competition in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun this season just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
