When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager at the time assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement proved to be a bit of an understatement.
Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the senior Three Lions team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” the player said previously.
“It has been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed drastically for myself and my family.”
So in what way did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Developing in the lower tiers
His path in football has not been a conventional one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.
Rather, he opted to stay on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week 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 that experience. Getting that slice of childhood again was something I really required.
“To gain some self-belief by coming back and taking part in local football was huge for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss 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
Championship side Bristol City – owned by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and arranged a trial in December 2019.
“It was hectic,” recalled Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I took the field for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a hat-trick. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
Within 18 months, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus the Hatters.
Scott made 83 league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being deployed as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England playmaker Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was named Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I think he’ll play for England and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, the player’s manager at the club, remarked previously.
Less than 90 days later, he joined the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his big move
Scott endured a challenging debut campaign with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for almost four months.
“There was quite a good run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“It was yet another obstacle and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first half.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six games as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the first team with the national coach.
And he has started this season equally as strongly for his club, playing in every game to help them to fifth in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be among the most special occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying football, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and earn an opportunity.”
