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When Alex Scott made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this youngster.”

That prediction proved to be something of an understatement.

Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has earned his first summons to the senior Three Lions team.

His ascent from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a true throwback, a story seldom seen in the modern game.

What’s next? A major tournament?

“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott stated 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 in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up at this level?

Developing in non-league

His football journey has not been a conventional one.

He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and play for the club’s academy sides.

Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.

Rather, he opted to remain on the island and play for his hometown club.

“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was becoming overwhelming,” he recalled.

“I just wanted to chill at home with my friends at weekends because I had missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. To have that slice of youth back was something I really required.

“Building some confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was huge for me. It was perhaps the most crucial things that led me to this point.”

At the age of 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated back then.

“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”

Returning to the professional game

Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking Scott’s early progress after an promising beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in December 2019.

“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a complete shock.

“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home 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 deal.”

In just a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus Luton.

He made 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and occasionally in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.

Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team playmaker Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’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.

“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for England and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.

Within 90 days later, he joined the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.

Securing his major transfer

Scott experienced a difficult first season with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being inconsistent of the team.

His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for almost several months.

“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” said he.

“That felt like yet 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 went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.

And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for his club, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the table.

“To play for the England senior team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” Scott stated earlier this season.

“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the national coach and earn an opportunity.”