When the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against 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 prediction proved to be a bit of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his maiden summons to the full Three Lions team.
His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern game.
What’s next? The World Cup?
“In my mind, there was zero possibility of making it as a pro footballer, never mind featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” the player said previously.
“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and things have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
Scott’s path in football has been far from a typical one.
He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Before his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, as he later admitted, his mind was not in it.
Rather, he chose to stay on the island and turn out for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling weekly was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.
“All I desired to relax at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of that experience. To have that slice of childhood again was something I really needed.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by coming back and playing local football was massive for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important things that got me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half substitute in their Isthmian League match at the opposition.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could include him in the team because he’s that good,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s development after an promising start in adult football and gave him a trial in December 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” recalled the player. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the next day I was with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“Midweek I played for his local side in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”
In just a year and a half, even some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against the Hatters.
Scott went on to make 83 league appearances for the club while in his teens, frequently being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
With his ability to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season award, was chosen in the league’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I think he will progress to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, remarked previously.
Less than three months later, he joined the Cherries for a understood fee of £25m.
Securing his big move
The midfielder endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, having to wait until October to make his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for nearly four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and managed to regain fitness for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, developing a formidable understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the table.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”
