When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”
That prediction proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the full England squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a journey rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and representing the national team too,” the player said in a recent interview.
“It has been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Developing in non-league
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to stay on the island and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to relax at my home with my mates at the weekend because I had missed almost four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of youth again was a thing I definitely needed.
“To gain a bit of confidence by returning and playing local football was massive for me. It was probably the most crucial things 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 came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their 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,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Returning to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“It was hectic,” recalled the player. “The first day I trained with the under-18s, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in London, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut against Luton.
Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player award, was chosen in the division’s team of the year and was named the club’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,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, stated previously.
Within 90 days after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the club, 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 second campaign was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for nearly several months.
“There was a decent run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and it was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, forming a strong partnership in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying the game, improving every day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
