Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time predicted, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This statement turned out to be something of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the playmaker has just received his maiden call-up to the senior England squad.
His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible England player is a true blast from the past, a journey rarely seen in the modern era.
Next stop? The World Cup?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, never mind playing in the top division and representing England too,” the player stated previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed completely for me and my loved ones.”
So how did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up at this level?
Learning in the lower tiers
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s youth system from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to fly from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could train and feature for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to he turned 13, however, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind wasn’t fully committed.
Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“I wasn’t playing very well and traveling every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly several years of that experience. Getting that slice of youth again was a thing I definitely required.
“Building a bit of self-belief by returning and playing local football was huge for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important factors that led me to this point.”
When he was just 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” manager the coach commented at the time.
“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is exceptional, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the professional game
Championship side Bristol City – chaired by Guernsey resident their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was hectic,” said the player. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.
“Midweek I played for Guernsey FC in the capital, returned home and on the Friday, I took the field for the youth team and scored a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to sign a contract.”
Within a year and a half, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut against Luton.
He made eighty-three league outings for the club while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally further forward as a number 10 – such was his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
Thanks to his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“Without question, I believe he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.
Less than 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.
Getting his big move
The midfielder experienced a difficult first season with the club, waiting until the autumn to earn his Premier League debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for almost four months.
“I had a decent run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.
“That felt like almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be a pretty bad year for the first five months.”
But he was then called up 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 games as they went on to win the tournament in the host nation, developing a formidable partnership in the middle with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has started this season just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“To play for the national team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player said earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for football, getting better every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and get my chance.”
