Curtis Fleming, the assistant manager at Bristol City, feels that Alex Scott’s behavior and professionalism during the previous two and a half years under Nigel Pearson set a high standard for the club’s young potential and showed them what could be achieved.
After signing for the Robins as a 16-year-old in December 2019, Scott is about to complete a move to Premier League Bournemouth in a deal valued at £25 million for City.
Scott was added to the first team by Pearson before the close of the 2020–21 season. Shortly after taking over, in April, at Luton Town, the teenager received his first start of the next campaign against Blackpool.
Since then, Scott has grown to be a valuable and significant player of the Robins team, earning 91 appearances. His stature has also expanded outside of BS3, as he has earned caps for England’s Under-19 and U20 teams and was voted Championship Young Player of the Year the previous season.
Scott was involved in all of the preseason activities, including the final friendly against Portsmouth, but Fleming acknowledges that Scott leaves the team with the blessing of all of the players. His farewell appearance at the end of the May game against QPR appears to be his final official appearance in a City shirt.
Because of the road he’s set for others to follow, not just because of his on-field accomplishments or the big transfer fee he got.
Since Pearson’s arrival, a consistent stream of academy players has made their way into the starting lineup, with Tommy Conway, Sam Bell, Zak Vyner, Cam Pring, and Max O’Leary regulars in the Championship. Ayman Benarous, Jamie Knight-Lebel, and Raph Aroaye are expected to follow in their footsteps.
