Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager at the time predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That prediction proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his first summons to the senior Three Lions squad.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a true throwback, a journey rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, never mind playing in the top division and representing the national team too,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and things have changed completely for me and my family.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
His path in football has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to remain on the island and play for his local team.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I missed nearly several years of doing that. To have that slice of youth back was something I definitely required.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, Scott made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he was introduced as a 57th-minute replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated back then.
“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
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” recalled Scott. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the next day I trained with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.
“Midweek I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I played 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 a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally in attack as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was chosen in the division’s team of the year and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for his country and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Within 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a understood fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
The midfielder endured a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself inconsistent of the team.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.
“I had a decent run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then called up by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable understanding in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in all matches to guide them to the top five in the table.
“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my career,” Scott said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to continue developing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
