When the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach at the time assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”
This statement turned out to be something of an underestimation.
Today 22 years old and a Premier League regular with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden call-up to the senior Three Lions team.
His ascent from non-league prodigy to possible international star is a true throwback, a journey seldom told in the modern game.
Next stop? A major tournament?
“Back then, there was zero possibility of making it as a professional football player, let alone featuring in the Premier League and playing for England too,” Scott said in a recent interview.
“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed completely for me and my loved ones.”
So in what way did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself at this level?
Developing in the lower tiers
His path in football has not been a typical one.
He was part of over four years in the Saints’ academy setup from the age of eight, skipping school every Friday to travel by air from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and play for the club’s academy sides.
Prior to his 13th birthday, however, they decided to let him go. Bournemouth gave him an opportunity and he remained with them for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart was not in it.
Instead, he chose to remain on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.
“My form had dipped and traveling every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.
“All I desired to relax at home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost several years of that experience. To have that slice of childhood back was a thing I really needed.
“To gain some self-belief by returning and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably one of the most important things that got me where I am today.”
At the age of 16, Scott made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their league match at Phoenix Sports.
“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the team because his talent is obvious,” manager the coach commented back then.
“Everyone’s now seen that – his possession 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 – owned by Guernsey resident Steve Lansdown – had been monitoring his development after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a trial in late 2019.
“It was chaos,” said the player. “The first day I joined the under-18s, the second day I was with the first team, which was a total surprise.
“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in London, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a hat-trick. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”
In just a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.
He made 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, often being used as a wide defender – and sometimes in attack as a attacking midfielder – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.
Thanks to his skill to carry the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and England playmaker Grealish.
At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s best young player award, was chosen in the league’s best XI and was voted Bristol City’s player and young player of the Year.
“No doubt, I believe he will represent England and I’m sure he’ll go on to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s boss at the club, remarked previously.
Within 90 days after, he joined the Cherries for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.
Securing his major transfer
The midfielder experienced a challenging debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee injury in the summer, and then being in and out of the starting XI.
His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which sidelined him for nearly four months.
“I had quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained he.
“It was yet another setback and the year was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first five months.”
But he was then called up by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.
He started five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in Slovakia, forming a formidable understanding in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.
And he has begun the current campaign just as strongly for Bournemouth, featuring in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.
“Representing the England senior team would be among the most special moments of my life,” the player said recently.
“The responsibility is mine, I’ve got to keep progressing as a player, maintain my love for football, getting better day on day, and with luck I impress the national coach and earn an opportunity.”
