Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his first call-up to the senior Three Lions team.
His rise from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern era.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a pro footballer, never mind playing in the Premier League and playing for England as well,” the player said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, find himself here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Before his 13th birthday, however, 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 opted to stay on the island and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was becoming a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost several years of that experience. Getting that slice of youth back was something I definitely needed.
“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that led me where I am today.”
When he was just 16, the teenager became the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league match at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could include him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the manner he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“On the Wednesday I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut against the Hatters.
He made 83 league appearances for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being used as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s young player of the season award, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he’ll play for his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, remarked last year.
Within three months later, he signed for Bournemouth for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to earn his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for almost several months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said Scott.
“It was almost another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by the national team 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 tournament in Slovakia, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who himself has excelled for the senior side with the national coach.
And he has begun the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to fifth in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” Scott said recently.
“It’s down to me, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
