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Back when the young midfielder made his Guernsey debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 fans in 2019, his coach back then assured, “there’s more to come from this boy.”

This statement turned out to be a bit of an underestimation.

Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the midfielder has earned his maiden summons to the full Three Lions team.

His rise from eighth-tier talent to possible international star is a proper blast from the past, a journey seldom seen in the modern game.

Next stop? A major tournament?

“Back then, there was no chance of becoming a pro footballer, let alone playing in the top division and playing for England as well,” the player stated in a recent interview.

“It has been a incredible half-dozen years of my life, and things have changed completely for myself and my family.”

So in what way did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?

Learning in non-league

His path in football has not been a conventional one.

He spent over four years in the Saints’ youth system starting at eight, skipping school each Friday to travel by air from his island home on Guernsey to the south coast so he could train and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.

Before he turned 13, however, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer Scott an option and he remained with them for a while, 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 local team.

“My form had dipped and traveling weekly was becoming a bit too much,” he recalled.

“I just wanted to chill at home with my mates at the weekend because I missed nearly four and a half years of that experience. To have that little bit of childhood again was a thing I really needed.

“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and taking part in island football was massive for me. That proved to be probably the most crucial factors that led me to this point.”

When he was just 16, the teenager made history as the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a second-half replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at the opposition.

“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,” manager Tony Vance commented at the time.

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

Returning to the pro ranks

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

“It was hectic,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the under-18s, the second day I was with the senior squad, which was a complete surprise.

“On the Wednesday I played for his local side in the capital, travelled back and on the Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and scored a three goals. It was almost a certainty for me to sign a deal.”

In just 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was earning his first-team debut versus the Hatters.

Scott went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while still a teenager, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his adaptability and versatility. Even at that young age and not in his natural role he was their best player.

Thanks to his skill to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the nickname ‘Guernsey’s Grealish’, a reference to Manchester City and national team playmaker Jack Grealish.

At the end of the 2022-23 campaign he won the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was chosen in the division’s team of the year and was named Bristol City’s top player and top youngster.

“No doubt, I believe he will represent his country and I’m sure he’ll go on to the top of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s boss at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.

Within 90 days after, he signed for the Cherries for a understood transfer fee of £25m.

Securing his big move

The midfielder endured a challenging first season with the club, waiting until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then being in and out of the team.

His following season was just as affected, this time by a surgery which sidelined him for almost several months.

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

“It was almost another obstacle and it was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first five months.”

But he was then selected by the national team for the Under-21 European Championships – and managed to get himself fit in time.

He started five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, forming a formidable partnership in the middle with Elliot Anderson, who in turn has gone on to impress for the senior side under the national coach.

And he has started this season equally as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to fifth in the table.

“To play for the England senior team would be among the most special occasions of my life,” Scott said earlier this season.

“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, maintain my love for the game, getting better day on day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”