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Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports in front of a mere 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then assured, “we haven’t seen the best from this boy.”

That statement turned out to be something of an understatement.

Today 22 years old and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the midfielder has just received his maiden summons to the full England squad.

His ascent from eighth-tier talent to potential England player is a true blast from the past, a journey rarely told in the modern era.

What’s next? The World Cup?

“Back then, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the top division and representing England too,” Scott stated previously.

“It’s been a incredible five or six years of my life, and circumstances have transformed drastically for me and my family.”

So how did Scott, referred to affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, end up here?

Developing in non-league

Scott’s football journey has not been a typical one.

He was part of over four years in Southampton’s academy setup from the age of eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on the Channel Island to the mainland so he could train and play for the Saints’ youth teams.

Before he turned 13, though, they decided to let him go. The Cherries were willing to offer him an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, as he later admitted, his heart was not in it.

Instead, he opted to remain on Guernsey and play for his hometown club.

“My form had dipped and flying over every week was starting to feel overwhelming,” he explained.

“I just wanted to relax at home with my mates at weekends because I had missed almost several years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood back was something I definitely required.

“To gain some confidence by coming back and taking part in local football was massive for me. That proved to be perhaps one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”

When he was just 16, the teenager became the most youthful appearance-maker in the club’s records when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could get him in the side because he’s that good,” manager Tony Vance stated at the time.

“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the manner he runs with the ball, he’s pure quality.”

Making a comeback to the pro ranks

Second-tier club the Robins – chaired by islander their owner – had been tracking his development after an impressive start in adult football and gave him a trial in December 2019.

“The whole experience was hectic,” said Scott. “Day one I joined the under-18s, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.

“Midweek I featured for Guernsey FC in London, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to put pen to paper on a contract.”

Within a year and a half, still some way short of his 18th birthday, he was earning his senior debut versus the Hatters.

He made eighty-three league outings for the Robins while in his teens, often being used as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – such was his adaptability and flexibility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.

Thanks to his skill 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 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 named the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“No doubt, I believe he will represent England and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the sport,” Nigel Pearson, Scott’s boss at the club, stated last year.

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

Securing his big move

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

His following season was equally affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for nearly four months.

“There was quite a good run at the end of the previous campaign, which was nice to have, then I broke my jaw,” said he.

“That felt like yet another setback and it was shaping up as a pretty bad start for the first five months.”

But he was then selected by England for the Under-21 European Championships – and succeeded in get himself fit for the tournament.

He went on to start five of the Young Lions’ six matches as they claimed victory in the competition in the host nation, forming a strong understanding in the middle with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the senior side with the national coach.

And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, featuring in all matches to guide them to fifth in the standings.

“Representing the England senior team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” the player stated earlier this season.

“The responsibility is mine, I must continue developing as a player, maintain my love for football, improving day on day, and hopefully I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”