When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
This statement turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the full England squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and playing for the national team as well,” Scott said previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed completely for myself and my family.”
But in what way did Scott, known fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself at this level?
Developing in non-league
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave Scott an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, as he later admitted, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at weekends because I had missed nearly several years of that experience. Getting that slice of childhood back was something I really needed.
“Building some self-belief by returning and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their league match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with 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 tracking Scott’s early progress after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a hat-trick. From that point a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.
Scott made 83 league outings for the club while still a teenager, often being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I think he will represent his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, stated previously.
Within three months later, he signed for the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to earn his Premier League debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself in and out of the starting XI.
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 end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like yet another obstacle and it was shaping up as 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 managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun this season just as impressively for his club, playing in all matches to help them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a player, keep enjoying the game, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
