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Back when the young midfielder stepped onto the pitch for his local team debut against Phoenix Sports before a mere 55 fans in 2019, his manager back then predicted, “there’s more to come from this youngster.”

That statement proved to be a bit of an underestimation.

Today aged 22 and an established top-flight player with the Cherries, the playmaker has just received his first summons to the full Three Lions squad.

His ascent from non-league prodigy to potential England player is a proper throwback, a story seldom seen in the modern era.

Next stop? The World Cup?

“In my mind, there was zero possibility of becoming a professional football player, let alone playing in the Premier League and playing for England too,” the player said previously.

“It’s been a crazy half-dozen years of my life, and circumstances have changed drastically for myself and my family.”

But how did Scott, referred to fondly as the ‘Grealish from Guernsey’, end up here?

Learning in the lower tiers

His path in football has been far from a conventional one.

He was part of four and a half years in Southampton’s youth system starting at eight, leaving school early every Friday to fly from his island home on Guernsey to the mainland so he could attend training and feature for the Saints’ youth teams.

Before his 13th birthday, however, they released him. The Cherries gave Scott an opportunity and he remained with them for a while, but, by the player’s own admission, his heart wasn’t fully committed.

Instead, he opted to stay on Guernsey and turn out for his hometown club.

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

“I just wanted to relax at my home with my friends at weekends because I missed nearly four and a half years of doing that. Getting that slice of childhood back was a thing I really needed.

“To gain some confidence by returning and taking part in island football was massive for me. It was probably one of the most important factors that got me to this point.”

At the age of 16, the teenager made history as the youngest player in the club’s records when he came on as a 57th-minute replacement in their Isthmian League fixture at Phoenix Sports.

“I’ve been having trouble sleeping because I was figuring out how I could get him in the team because he’s that good,” manager the coach stated at the time.

“People have witnessed that – his possession of the ball is outstanding, the way he runs with 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 tracking his early progress after an impressive start in men’s football and arranged a trial in late 2019.

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

“Midweek I played for his local side in London, returned home and by Friday, I played for the youth team and netted a three goals. From that point a certainty for me to sign a deal.”

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

He went on to make 83 league outings for the Robins while in his teens, frequently being deployed as a wide defender – and occasionally in attack as a number 10 – demonstrating his versatility and versatility. Despite his youth and playing out of position he was the standout performer.

With his ability to drive the ball forward, and with his socks down to his ankles, he earned the moniker ‘the Guernsey Grealish’, a nod to Manchester City and England playmaker Jack Grealish.

By the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign he claimed the second tier’s young player of the season honour, was selected in the league’s best XI and was voted the club’s player and young player of the Year.

“No doubt, I believe he’ll play for his country and I think he will progress to the pinnacle of the game,” his former manager, Scott’s manager at the club, remarked previously.

Within three months after, he signed for the Cherries for a reported transfer fee of £25m.

Securing his big move

The midfielder experienced a challenging first season with the Cherries, having to wait until the autumn to earn his top-flight debut after a knee injury in pre-season, and then being in and out of the starting XI.

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

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

“That felt like almost another setback and the year was turning out to be quite a terrible year for the first five months.”

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

He went on to start five of the England U21s’ six matches as they went on to win the tournament in Slovakia, developing a strong understanding in midfield with his teammate, who in turn has excelled for the first team under Thomas Tuchel.

And he has begun the current campaign equally as impressively for Bournemouth, playing in every game to guide them to the top five in the standings.

“Representing the national team would be one of the proudest moments of my career,” Scott stated earlier this season.

“It’s down to me, I must keep progressing as a footballer, keep enjoying the game, improving every day, and with luck I catch the eye of the England manager and earn an opportunity.”