When the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this boy.”
That statement proved to be something of an underestimation.
Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first call-up to the senior England team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern era.
What’s next? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was no chance of making it as a pro footballer, let alone playing in the top division and representing England too,” Scott stated previously.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have transformed drastically for me and my loved ones.”
But in what way did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?
Developing in the lower tiers
Scott’s football journey has not been a typical one.
He spent over four years in the Saints’ academy setup starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they decided to let him go. 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 remain on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel a bit too much,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at 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 youth again was something I really required.
“Building some confidence by returning and taking part in local football was massive for me. That proved to be probably one of the most important things that led me to this point.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half replacement in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.
“I’ve been having sleepless nights because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance commented at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s a class act.”
Making a comeback to the pro ranks
Championship side the Robins – chaired by islander Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his early progress after an impressive beginning in men’s football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” said the player. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I trained with the first team, which was a complete surprise.
“Midweek I featured for his local side in London, returned home and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and scored a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”
Within 18 months, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus the Hatters.
He went on to make eighty-three league outings for the club while in his teens, often being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – such was his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was the standout performer.
With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and national team attacking midfielder Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he won the second tier’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was named the club’s top player and top youngster.
“Without question, I think he’ll play for his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the sport,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, stated last year.
Within 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a reported fee of £25m.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in the summer, and then finding himself inconsistent of the starting XI.
His following season was equally disrupted, 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 fractured my jaw,” explained he.
“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first five months.”
But he was then selected by England for the U21 Euros – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team with the national coach.
And he has started the current campaign just as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in all matches 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 stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving every day, and hopefully I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
