Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 spectators in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”
This prediction proved to be something of an understatement.
Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his maiden call-up to the senior Three Lions squad.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a proper throwback, a story 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 playing in the top division and playing for the national team as well,” Scott said previously.
“It’s been a crazy five or six years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for myself and my loved ones.”
So in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Developing in non-league
Scott’s football journey has been far from a typical one.
He spent over four years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at eight, leaving school early each Friday to travel by air from his home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.
Prior to his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his mind was not in it.
Instead, he opted to remain on the island and turn out for his local team.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at my home with my friends at the weekend because I missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. To have that slice of youth again was a thing I really required.
“To gain a bit of self-belief by coming back and playing island football was massive for me. It was perhaps the most crucial factors that led me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their Isthmian League match at Phoenix Sports.
“I had trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss Tony Vance stated at the time.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries 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 tracking Scott’s early progress after an promising beginning in adult football and gave him a try-out in late 2019.
“The whole experience was chaos,” recalled the player. “The first day I joined the youth team, the second day I trained with the first team, which was a total shock.
“On the Wednesday I played for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back 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 put pen to paper on a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut against Luton.
Scott went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the club while still a teenager, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and flexibility. Even at that young age and playing out of position he was their best player.
With his skill to drive the ball up the pitch, and with his socks rolled down to his ankles, he picked up the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.
By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season award, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s top player and top youngster.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent his country and I think he’ll go on to the top of the game,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s manager at the club, stated previously.
Within 90 days after, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of 25 million pounds.
Getting his major transfer
Scott endured a challenging first season with the club, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was just as disrupted, this time by a surgery which ruled him out for almost four months.
“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was nice to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained Scott.
“That felt like yet another setback and it was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”
But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to regain fitness in time.
He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the competition in the host nation, forming a formidable understanding in midfield with Elliot Anderson, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side under the national coach.
And he has begun this season equally as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to help them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott stated earlier this season.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, improving every day, and with luck I impress the national coach and get my chance.”
