KITCHEE STAR’S PATH TO TREBLE GLORY AFTER UNITED AGONY
Heartbroken at being rejected by the Manchester giants who scouted him when he was aged six, Charlie Scott is thriving again in his new home
Fans got a glimpse of some of the future stars of the English Premier League at this weekend’s Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong.
Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham and Leicester’s under-21s were all in town, with several players catching the eye over three days at Hong Kong Football Club.
But for every success story, more of these young men will have to swallow the bitter pill of rejection at their clubs, and deal with feelings of failure.
No one running out at Happy Valley knows that bitterness more than Kitchee star Charlie Scott.
The 25-year-old Englishman has just won a treble with the local giants, scoring a screamer in this month’s FA Cup final to boot. But the midfielder’s success in his new home city came after the pain of being cast out by his beloved Manchester United five years ago.
“I was scouted by United when I was six. I was lucky enough to spend three-quarters of my life there,” he said.
“It follows me around.”
Quite literally – he rolled up his shorts to show off a new tattoo on his outer left thigh of him as a child with his father, signing for United, the club crest above them.
“I can’t see it, but I just know it’s there,” Scott said.
He talks fondly now of his time at United, where he rose through the ranks with none other than Marcus Rashford, who he still counts as a close friend. But the thing he loved most also caused him the worst pain of his life.
After being released in 2018, Scott bounced around the semi-professional tiers of English football, from Altrincham to Newcastle Town to Kidsgrove Athletic.
He worked on a construction site to make ends meet, and went through a bout of depression. The idea he would one day be lifting trophies seemed a world away.
“Growing up I never imagined coming to Asia,” Scott said, as he recovered on the sidelines following Kitchee’s draw with Fulham on Saturday.
“I thought I would always just play for Manchester United academy through to the first team.*
“I had the rejection and it was difficult to cope with. Some of these young boys here from Leicester, Fulham and Newcastle are probably fighting for scholarships and professional deals just like I was when I was their age.”
Scott received an unlikely lifeline, and the chance for a fresh start, when Hong Kong Premier League side Happy Valley came calling. Having moved his life halfway around the world, he grabbed three goals and three assists in 22 appearances, going on to be named the players’ player of the year at the 2020-21 Top Footballer Awards.
His stellar performances earned him a move to giants Kitchee, and after a disrupted first season amid the Covid-19 restrictions, he won three trophies in his first full campaign.
“I had the opportunity to come to Hong Kong, and I think it’s the best decision I ever made,” Scott said. “So my advice is, if any aspiring footballers do get rejected, then don’t take it too personally.
“Football is so brutal. There will be rejections along the way. You just need to keep your head up. That’s all I can say to them.”
Scott has embraced his new life and his new home – in March, he got engaged to local influencer Ching Wu-yan. He has also been tipped as a future shoo-in for the Hong Kong team – but fans will have to wait a little while longer to see him pull on the shirt.
“I’m enjoying my club football at the minute after a lengthy spell not playing before I came to Hong Kong. I feel like I’m back in the groove now playing here, I’m enjoying the lifestyle. This is my third year in Hong Kong and I need four more years to go before I can get the opportunity to take the Hong Kong passport.
“I’ll be 29 so it would be a nice age, and if I do have that opportunity it would be nice to play for Hong Kong, it would be a privilege and an honour.”
Scott has kept in touch with many old academy mates, including Rashford, who this season became the first player to break the 30-goal mark for United since Robin van Persie a decade ago.
“Yeah, Marcus congratulated me on the treble with Kitchee,” he said. “We stay in touch. We grew up together from the age of six, all the way up to 20 in the United academy.
“It’s obviously a proud moment being able to watch him in the FA Cup final and he’s one of the most famous names in world football now. It’s always nice to see him well, and he wishes me well. We have that kind of mutual respect.”
Scott will land back in London on Sunday, when United take on Manchester City in that Wembley showdown, as they look to deny their neighbours a chance at emulating their famous 1999 treble.
“I’m trying to get tickets, but I land in London about three hours before kick off, so I’ll probably be too tired and I’ll just stick it on the phone or laptop,” he said.
“Hopefully we keep the score down. I think City are gonna win the Champions League so it would be nice for United to stop them winning the treble.”
Kitchee made it to yesterday’s main competition semi-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Aston Villa.
“It’s fun. When I was younger we never had the opportunity to come to Hong Kong to play Soccer Sevens,” Scott said. “It’s good for the Hong Kong people to see some future stars for the Premier League. I know Jack Grealish played here once and he’s playing in the Champions League final. So you never know, you might see the next superstar here.”
I had the opportunity to come to Hong Kong, and I think it’s the best decision I ever made
CHARLIE SCOTT, KITCHEE MIDFIELDER