Alex Scott: Bristol City midfielder on self-belief and winning Euro Under-19s with England

Midfielder Alex Scott quickly became a regular at Bristol City last season after making his debut in April 2021

Bristol City's teenage midfielder Alex Scott wants to "kick on" this season after being part of the England team that were crowned European Under-19 champions during the summer.

The 18-year-old came off the bench to score in the tournament's semi-final.

He started the final against Israel which England won 3-1, taking the title for a second time in five years.

"I feel in a good place and ready to kick on this year," Scott told BBC Points West.

Guernsey-born Scott joined the Robins at the age of 16 from Guernsey FC and made his debut in the Championship in April 2021.

He signed a new four-year deal with the club in April and ended the season with 39 appearances and four goals to his name across all competitions.

"I feel like I've learnt a lot about myself, how to adapt to certain situations," Scott added.

"I was playing out of position for maybe half of the games last year, maybe even more.

"Learning a new position was very tough at the start, but I feel like the staff and players we have here, they just made it so much easier for me.

"You've just got to believe in yourself, really. That's what I've done."

Being part of England's next generation

Substitute Scott scored from a corner two minutes after coming on during England's Under-19 European Championships semi-final 2-1 victory against Italy - it was a goal which drew the Young Lions level and helped send them to the final.

"It's what you dream of growing up," he said. "I was a bit disappointed not to start the game but I had a feeling I was going to score, I was going to play well when I came on to have a chance to start the final."

Alex Scott was part of an England Under-19 team that won the Euros for the second time in five years

He called the final triumph in Slovakia on 1 July, in which England came from behind to secure the trophy in extra time, "the best night of my life".

"The whole experience was brilliant, we were out there for two-and-a-half weeks but we'd been preparing for it for the whole year."

Mason Mount and Aaron Ramsdale were part of the England squad that won the same tournament in 2017 and have since gone on to achieve full international caps.

Scott cites Mount as a player he looks up to, as well as England playmaker pair Phil Foden and Jack Grealish.

"Grealish, he's my favourite player - I think the way he dribbles with the ball, draws fouls, I think we do it in a similar way," Scott said.

"Then the other English lads like Mason Mount, Phil Foden, it's been a different path for them but they've won the Euros as well and World Cups.

"When you're with England and you see them around St George's Park, it's the dream really and you just want to be in their position. All you've got to do is work hard and one day hopefully we'll get there."

Tough start was a 'learning curve'

Scott was a consistent starter for Bristol City during the second half of last season, but he cited a period at the beginning of the campaign when he was substituted early and left out of the squad as a learning curve.

"There were definitely tough games in there, games where I've been taken off before half-time where I'm thinking, 'am I good enough to be playing at this level?' You sort of doubt yourself," Scott added.

"The lads and the staff and the manager here, they trust you and that's the main thing. I felt like I was trusted every time I put the red shirt on," Scott said.

Alex Scott scored four goals for Bristol City last season in the Championship

Having played across midfield and at wing-back for both England and Nigel Pearson's Robins, versatility is a skill Scott sees as beneficial, even if he admits he has a preference for where he plays.

"I think maybe as a box-to-box eight is probably my best position, but for England I was more playing as a sitting midfielder and then in other games I was playing as a 10," he said.

"I feel like I could play all three of them and also at wing-back either side. I back myself to do a job every game.

"It's important that I can be versatile like that so if the manager ever comes to me and wants me to play a certain position, I'm very prepared to do that."

Norwich City and Tottenham were linked with the teenager this spring, but Scott insisted his focus is on the new campaign with Bristol City where he will play in the number seven shirt after swapping with a team-mate.

"I want to be starting every game - I think I can do that, I think I'm good enough to do that," he added.

As for his aims this term?

"More goals, more goal contributions - I think if you look at the season last year we had mostly three players that were scoring all the goals," Scott said.

"Us midfielders have to contribute more with goals and obviously assists as well, that's something I want to bring into my game more going into next season."