Alex Scott: The making of Bristol City’s ‘Guernsey Grealish’

When Alex Scott was replaced by Joe Williams 77 minutes into the 2021/22 season opener against Blackpool there was a feeling around Ashton Gate that the home support might’ve just had their first taste of something special.

The fans – back in the Bs3 stadium for the first time since the pandemic – showered Scott with ongoing renditions of ‘One of our own’ as he made his way around the edge of the pitch past the far end of the Dolman, Section 82, the South Stand, and part of the Lansdown on his way to the bench.

But though he has become arguably the Robins’ brightest current prospect, there can be no doubt where City’s Guernsey Grealish learned his trade.

“Living on an island and being involved in football, you tend to know everyone, that’s the way it is,” says Guernsey FC boss Tony Vance, who spoke with me earlier in the season.

It’s been far more than a decade now since Vance, who has played a key part in Scott’s development, first crossed paths with City’s number 36.

“Alex has always shown talent,” he continues. “I remember him at five, six, seven years old. He was a tiny lad then but he looked like he had some talent. As do quite a few players on the island, it’s a bit of an untouched market.”

In the eyes of Vance, who has led Guernsey FC since their formation in 2011 and was the Guernsey FA’s representative manager before that, the island is both a blessing and a curse.

“I always talk about the water around us being like a moat almost,” he explains. “We’re stuck on our own little rock but that moat also protects us a little bit as well.

“It causes some problems in terms of exposure if you’ve got some talent because you don’t get to showcase it too much but it also protects us.

“From the point of view of Guernsey FC