Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden summons to the senior England team.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to potential international star is a proper blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern game.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team too,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for myself and my family.”
But how did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries gave him an option and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he chose to stay on the island and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my friends at the weekend because I had missed almost several years of that experience. Getting that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their league match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented 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.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been tracking Scott’s development after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a try-out in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
Within a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to City and national team playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s best XI and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I think he will represent England and I’m sure he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at the club, remarked previously.
Less than 90 days later, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
Scott experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then finding himself 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 quite a good run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness in time.
He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ 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 himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign just as strongly for his club, playing in all matches to help them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” Scott said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, improving every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
