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In his own words, Alex Scott has described how returning to grassroots football in Guernsey reignited his love for the game, in an article he's written for England Football.
The national football body's website published the article yesterday with 20-year-old Alex proclaiming: "Going back to grassroots football was one of the best decisions I ever made."
Rewind to 2007 and four-year-old Alex was playing football for Rangers, alongside his brother who is a year older than him.
The pair moved to Saint Martins, with Alex being given a trial at Southampton when he was just eight. Supported by his parents, he flew to the UK every weekend until he was around 13.
Writing for England Football, Alex explained how his disappointment at being released by Southampton led him back to his mates at Blanches Pierre Lane in Guernsey.
Pictured: Alex Scott during his one year sting at Bournemouth FC as a young teenager (credit: England Football).
"That brought the love for football back for me. Going back to grassroots football was one of the best decisions I ever made and helped me get to where I am now," he wrote.
Where he is now, is somewhere he may have dreamed of as a child.
Signed to Bristol City, with a number of international youth caps to his name, he has been valued at £25million by his Championship club manager Nigel Pearson.
His summer will be dominated by the Fifa U20 World Cup which kicked off last weekend in Argentina.
"I doubt I would have had the career I'm having now if I hadn't returned to grassroots football and St Martin’s," Alex wrote in his article for England Football. "That decision to go home, enjoy my football, and live my life more fully made me happier off the pitch, which in turn meant better performance on the pitch.
"I was playing with my closest friends, my brother and Maya (Le Tissier), and we had a really good team. As an under-16 team, we won every trophy going – I think there was six or seven of them. I was scoring goals and playing free, with no pressure, and being able to play with your friends on a Saturday and then go out and enjoy yourself on Saturday night, it was important for me and helped me.
"Now, being a professional footballer, it is a lot more serious and I can't go out as much as I used to, but there are a lot of players who come through academies who maybe didn’t get the chance to do that and it's tough. Any young lad should have the chance to enjoy their life, not only on the pitch but off the pitch too."
Pictured: Alex Scott (credit: England Football).
"Returning home, reignited my love for football, and I just generally enjoyed my life a lot more, doing things I wouldn't have done in previous years off the pitch; seeing friends and other family members I wouldn't see on weekends when I would be at school all week and then go away for football," continued Alex.
"It meant that when I hit 16, I felt much more ready. Thankfully, I got another opportunity to do what I love."
At 16, Alex was called up to play for Guernsey FC - making him the youngest player to turn out for the Green Lions' senior side - which in turn led to him being scouted by his now-club, Championship side Bristol City.
He said that his experience in the Priaulx League and with the Green Lions, are opportunities also open to other promising young footballers. He hopes other young people see him, and other professional footballers from Guernsey, as a sign of what they could also achieve.
"I think it's good for young kids growing up in Guernsey to see us doing so well. It used to be there were limited opportunities there but things are a lot better now. Having that bridge between Guernsey and Bristol City and seeing myself, Maya, Ben and Tim Ap Sion doing well, it gives the young kids in Guernsey a lot of motivation to try to do the same.
"If they see people like us, who were once like them, thinking there might not be a chance to play professional football if you live on Guernsey, we’re great examples that it is possible if you seize your opportunity. Luck also plays a part obviously and I've been lucky at times but the bridge between Guernsey and professional football is much stronger now."
Pictured: Express reported on Alex Scott's first England call up more than two years ago when he played for the national under-18s side.
Guernsey's star midfielder had his first England call-up as a 17-year-old - taking on Wales alongside peers from the youth ranks at Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal in March 2021.
The same month he signed his professional contract with the Robins.
He had impressed bosses at Bristol City after playing in the U18 and U23 sides while on a pre-contract agreement with the club.
Last year he had attracted Premier League interest with Leeds, Leicester, Everton and West Ham all said to have been keen to poach him away from the Championship.
Alex's popularity off the pitch in Guernsey continues to match the interest in his professional career, as he won the top award at the Guernsey Sporting Achievement Awards in January.
He was given the Guernsey Sports Commission Trophy for the Outstanding Performer of the Year.
Pictured top and above: All images courtesy of England Football.
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