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Back when the young midfielder made his local team debut versus Phoenix Sports before just 55 spectators in 2019, his manager back then assured, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”

That prediction proved to be a bit of an understatement.

Now aged 22 and an established top-flight player with Bournemouth, the playmaker has earned his first call-up to the full England squad.

His rise from non-league prodigy to potential international star is a proper blast from the past, a story seldom seen in the modern era.

What’s next? The World Cup?

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

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

But how did Scott, known affectionately as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’, find himself here?

Learning in the lower tiers

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

He spent four and a half years in Southampton’s academy setup starting at 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.

Prior to he turned 13, though, they released him. Bournemouth were willing to offer him an option and he was on the Cherries’ books for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

Rather, he chose to stay on the island and play for his local team.

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

“I just wanted to relax at my home with my mates at weekends because I had missed nearly several years of that experience. To have that little bit of youth again was something I really required.

“To gain a bit of confidence by coming back and playing local football was huge for me. It was probably the most crucial factors that got me to this point.”

When he was just 16, Scott became the most youthful appearance-maker in Guernsey’s history when he came on as a 57th-minute substitute in their league fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was trying to work out how I could include him in the team because his talent is obvious,” manager Tony Vance 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

Second-tier club Bristol City – chaired by islander their owner – had been monitoring Scott’s early progress after an impressive start in adult football and arranged a try-out in December 2019.

“The whole experience was hectic,” said Scott. “Day one I trained with the youth team, the second day I trained with the senior squad, which was a complete shock.

“On the Wednesday I featured for his local side in the capital, travelled back and by Friday, I played for Bristol City Under-18s and netted a three goals. From that point a done deal for me to sign a deal.”

Within 18 months, even well before his 18th birthday, he was making his senior debut versus Luton.

He went on to make eighty-three league appearances for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wing-back – and sometimes further forward as a number 10 – such was his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.

Thanks to his skill 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 Manchester City and national team playmaker Grealish.

By the conclusion of the 2022-23 season he claimed the second tier’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’m sure he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” Nigel Pearson, the player’s manager at Ashton Gate, remarked previously.

Within three months later, he joined Bournemouth for a understood fee of £25m.

Getting his big move

Scott endured a difficult debut campaign with the Cherries, waiting until the autumn to make his top-flight debut after a knee problem in pre-season, and then finding himself in and out of the team.

His second campaign was equally affected, this time by a knee operation which ruled him out for nearly four months.

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

“It was almost another setback and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible start for the first half.”

But he was then called up by the national team for the U21 Euros – and managed to get himself fit in time.

He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they claimed victory in the tournament in the host nation, developing a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who himself has gone on to impress for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.

And he has started the current campaign equally as impressively for his club, featuring in all matches to guide them to the top five in the standings.

“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest occasions of my career,” Scott said recently.

“The responsibility is mine, I must keep progressing as a player, keep enjoying football, getting better every day, and hopefully I impress the England manager and get my chance.”