Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott was almost lost to football after being dumped by Southampton.

Scott is now rated at £25m and was watched by Liverpool scouts last week.

But after being cut loose by Saints at 14, he joined local side Guernsey FC, managed by Tony Vance who had known Scott since he was six.

Guernsey play in the Isthmian league South Central Division - the eighth tier of the English pyramid - and Scott began playing senior football at 16.

Vance recalled to The Sun: “He was disillusioned with football when he came back from Southampton.

“Living on an island is difficult because you're out of the loop, as he wasn't allowed to move to the mainland. The other boys who lived locally were training two or three days a week.

“But Guernsey play in non-league where it is brutal and ruthless. Alex's early grounding was fruitful because he matured very quickly."

The Guernsey chief added: “Alex can be a 6, an 8, a 10, a 7 and an 11. He can do all of those roles. I played him wing-back when he was 16 just to get him in the team."