A former youth player at Middlesbrough, Scott spent just one season with the club before being released. He worked at a paper mill and a lumber factory whilst playing part-time for Durham City. Spotted by Newcastle United manager Jack Charlton, he was part of a youth side that won the FA Youth Cup in 1985, playing alongside the likes of Joe Allon, Gary Kelly, Brian Tinnion and Paul Gascoigne. He helped Willie McFaul's "Magpies" to a 17th-place finish in the First Division in 1986–87. He scored twice in six appearances in the 1987–88 campaign, before making 36 starts in the 1988–89 relegation season. He then featured 53 times in the 1989–90 season, as new boss Jim Smith led the club to a third-place finish in the Second Division. He started 42 of the club's 46 games in the 1990–91 campaign, and played 50 matches as captain under Osvaldo Ardiles in the disastrous 1991–92 season. New manager Kevin Keegan handed the captaincy to Brian Kilcline, and United went on to win promotion as the division's champions in 1992–93; Scott scored two goals in 56 league and cup appearances. He played 18 top-flight games in the first half of the 1993–94 season, before leaving St James' Park on a £850,000 sale to Tottenham Hotspur in February 1994. Former Newcastle boss Osvaldo Ardiles was in charge at White Hart Lane, and led "Spurs" to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League in 1993–94. Gerry Francis replaced Ardiles as manager early in the 1994–95 season, and Scott lost his first team place. He signed on loan for John Rudge's Port Vale in January 1995. He helped to shore up the "Valiants" defence, as an upturn in form in the second half of the 1994–95 season saw the Vale rise out of the First Division relegation zone. Rudge wanted to buy Scott, but Vale could not been Tottenham's valuation of £600,000. Tottenham went on to finish tenth in the 1995–96 season, though Scott rarely featured in the first team. Still a peripheral player in the 1996–97 season, he was loaned out to Alan Curbishley's First Division Charlton Athletic, though played just four games at The Valley. Scott joined Norwich City in February 1997 for a £250,000 fee. Mike Walker's "Canaries" finished 13th in the First Division in 1996–97, and then 15th in 1997–98. Under the stewardship of Bruce Rioch, Norwich finished ninth in 1998–99. However, Scott only played 33 first-team games in his time at Carrow Road. He played his last professional game at Feethams on a loan spell with David Hodgson's Third Division club Darlington in February 1999. After leaving Norwich later that year he played numerous games for Northern League sides Guisborough Town and Crook Town.
