Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
That statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his maiden call-up to the senior England squad.
His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper throwback, a journey seldom told in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a professional football player, let alone featuring in the top division and playing for the national team as well,” the player said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my family.”
But how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?
Learning in the lower tiers
His football journey has been far from a conventional one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early 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 were willing to offer him an option and he remained with them for a time, 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 local team.
“My form had dipped and flying over weekly was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to chill at my home with my friends at weekends because I had missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that little bit of childhood back was something I definitely needed.
“Building some self-belief by coming back and taking part in local football was massive for me. It was probably one of the most important factors that got me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” manager the coach stated back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is exceptional, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Returning to the professional game
Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an promising start in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I joined the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in London, returned home and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”
In just 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.
He made 83 league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Jack 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 division’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the game,” his former manager, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, stated previously.
Less than 90 days later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging first season with the Cherries, having to wait until October to earn his top-flight 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 good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said Scott.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six games as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, forming a formidable understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team under the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott stated recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for the game, improving day on day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
