When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
That prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential international star is a proper throwback, a journey rarely told in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for the national team as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have changed completely for me and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has not been a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to he turned 13, though, they released him. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to remain on the island and turn out for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over weekly was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly several years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by returning and taking part in island football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important things that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager the coach stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an impressive beginning in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.
“It was hectic,” said the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and netted a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott made eighty-three league outings for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the league’s team of the year and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Within 90 days later, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a difficult first season with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost four months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured 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 England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, forming a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying football, improving day on day, and hopefully I impress the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
