Alex Scott, the 19-year-old wonderkid from Bristol City, proved his mettle against Manchester City in their FA Cup 5th round tie. Despite being sandwiched in a crowded midfield that featured international players like Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden, Scott shone in the first half of the game. He kept the ball beautifully, carried it with style, and his decision-making skills in a congested area of the pitch belied his years. Even the difficult to please Pep Guardiola was impressed, calling him “an unbelievable player.”
Scott has been a revelation for the Robins this season, and it’s no wonder Premier League clubs like Newcastle, Tottenham, and West Ham are keeping tabs on the £25million rated talent. Like Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, Scott grew up in the Channel Islands. In his formative years, he had to undergo heartbreak to reach the top. At 12, he was released by the Saints after spending four years with the club.
A year’s stint at Bournemouth wasn’t enough to convince Scott that his future belonged on the south coast. Instead, he signed for Isthmian League side Guernsey when he turned 16. Scott soon made his debut for the Green Lions against Phoenix Sports – making him the youngest player to play for Guernsey. His time there would be short-lived. It took just a handful of games to convince Championship side Bristol City that Scott belonged in their academy. He was signed on a pre-contract agreement in December 2019 and moved the following month to the Robins.
By 2021, the same year he signed his first professional contract, he was a starter in the first team. Scott has since gone on to play 75 times for the club while becoming an England youth international. He represented the Three Lions at U18, U19, and U20 level. Most notably, he came off the bench in the 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship semi-final against Italy to score an equaliser with his first touch of the game.
At Ashton Gate, where Scott has earned the nickname the ‘Guernsey Grealish,’ it was fitting he got to play against his idol, Jack Grealish, this week. Speaking to ITV after the match, he said: “For me, my favourite player is Grealish. For him to come on and to play against him is a bit of a dream come true for me. Obviously that’s the level I want to be at. Obviously watching De Bruyne, Foden and Grealish growing up, to be on the same pitch as them in real life was a special feeling and that’s where I want to be in the future.”
Grealish himself returned the favour with a compliment of his own. A “top, top talent,” the £100m City player called Scott. Next season, maybe the rest of the Premier League will see Scott’s skills on a more regular basis.