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When Alex Scott stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports in front of just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”

That prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.

Now 22 years old and a Premier League regular with Bournemouth, the midfielder has just received his first call-up to the full England squad.

His rise from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a story rarely seen in the modern game.

What’s next? The World Cup?

“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and representing the national team as well,” Scott stated previously.

“It’s been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed drastically for me and my loved ones.”

But in what way did Alex Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?

Developing in non-league

Scott’s football journey has been far from a conventional one.

He spent over four years in the Saints’ youth system from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to travel by air from his home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the club’s academy sides.

Before his 13th birthday, though, they released him. The Cherries gave him an opportunity and he was on the Cherries’ books for a time, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

Rather, he chose to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.

“I wasn’t playing very well and flying over every week was becoming overwhelming,” he explained.

“I just wanted to chill at home with my friends at weekends because I had missed almost four and a half years of that experience. Getting that little bit of childhood again was something I really required.

“To gain a bit of self-belief by coming back and playing local football was massive for me. It was perhaps the most crucial things that got me to this point.”

When he was just 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he was introduced as a second-half substitute in their league match at Phoenix Sports.

“I had sleepless nights because I was figuring out how I could get him in the side because his talent is obvious,” Guernsey boss the coach commented at the time.

“People have witnessed that – his retention of the ball is outstanding, the way he carries the ball, he’s a class act.”

Making a comeback to the professional game

Second-tier club Bristol City – owned by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive beginning in adult football and gave him a trial in December 2019.

“The whole experience was chaos,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the next day I was with the senior squad, which was a total surprise.

“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. It was almost a done deal for me to put pen to paper on a deal.”

Within 18 months, still well before his 18th birthday, he was making his first-team debut versus Luton.

Scott made eighty-three league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Despite his youth and not in his natural role he was their best player.

With his ability to carry the ball up the pitch, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to City and national team attacking midfielder Jack Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 season he claimed the EFL Championship’s best young player honour, was selected in the division’s team of the year and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“Without question, I think he will represent England and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” his former manager, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.

Less than 90 days after, he joined Bournemouth for a reported fee of 25 million pounds.

Getting his big move

The midfielder experienced a difficult debut campaign with the club, having to wait until October to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being inconsistent of the starting XI.

His following season was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly several months.

“I had quite a good run at the close of last season, which was good to have, then I fractured my jaw,” explained he.

“That felt like almost another setback and it was turning out to be a pretty bad start for the first five months.”

But he was then selected by the national team for the U21 Euros – 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, developing a formidable understanding in the middle with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the senior side under Thomas Tuchel.

And he has begun this season equally as strongly for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to fifth 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 must keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the national coach and get my chance.”