When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the senior England team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper throwback, a story rarely seen in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, never mind playing in the top division and playing for the national team too,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.
He spent four and a half years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he chose to remain on the island and play for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling weekly was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost several years of that experience. Getting that little bit of youth again was a thing I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and playing island football was huge for me. It was perhaps one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, the teenager became the youngest player in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half 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 Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he carries the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the second day I was with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
In just 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – 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 their best player.
With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and England attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s young player of the season award, was selected in the division’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Within three months after, he signed for Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
Scott experienced a difficult first season with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally disrupted, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the end of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit in time.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, forming a strong understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign equally as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the national team would be among the most special moments of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
