Richard Smallwood (footballer)

Richard Smallwood

Smallwood playing for Middlesbrough in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Richard Smallwood[1]
Date of birth	29 December 1990
Place of birth	Redcar, England[2]
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Rotherham United
Number	33
Youth career
000?–2010	Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2010–2014	Middlesbrough	60	(3)
2014	→ Rotherham United (loan)	18	(0)
2014	→ Rotherham United (loan)	1	(0)
2014–	Rotherham United	46	(1)
National team
2008	England U18	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:31, 31 August 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

Richard Smallwood (born 29 December 1990) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Rotherham United.

Club career

Smallwood's natural position is the holding role in the centre of midfield; he has also been known to play centre back. He is a product of the Middlesbrough Academy and later became captain of the reserve team. At the start of the 2009–10 season, Smallwood signed his first professional contract with the club.^[3] Smallwood made his debut for Middlesbrough on 19 October 2010 in a 1–0 away defeat to Nottingham Forest.^[4] In January 2011, Smallwood signed a 18-month contract with the club.^[5] On 2 May 2011, Smallwood scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 win against Cardiff City.^[6] He scored his second goal for the club on 25 September 2012, completing the scoring in a 3–1 win away to Preston North End in the third round of the League Cup.^[7] On 3 November, he scored his second league goal in a 4–1 win away to Charlton Athletic.^[8] However, in the 2013–14 season, Smallwood soon lost his first team place following new arrivals.^[9] Under the management of Aitor Karanka, Smallwood was among the players to be offloaded as part of Karanka's reducing the squad size.^[10]

On 23 January 2014, Smallwood joined Rotherham United on loan for the remainder of the 2013–14 season.^[11] Shortly after arriving at Rotherham United, Smallwood quickly went straight into the first team; he was sent-off for a late challenge on Billy Knott, as Rotherham United beat Port Vale 1–0 on 21 August 2014.^[12] As a result of the challenge, Smallwood had to serve a three-match suspension, missing the last two games of the season and one match in the play-offs.^[13]

Smallwood scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out after taking the fifth penalty to win it as Rotherham secured promotion with a penalty shoot-out victory against Leyton Orient.^[14] After the match, Smallwood said it was the first time he had taken a penalty in his professional career.^[15] As a result of his good performance at Rotherham United, the club made a bid to sign Smallwood in early July, only to be rejected by Middlesbrough.^[16]

Initially signed in an emergency loan deal,^[17] Smallwood signed for Rotherham United on a permanent basis after Middlesbrough accepted a £175,000 bid for him.^[18][19]

Smallwood scored his first ever goal for Rotherham United in their 3–3 home draw with Derby County with a sublime free-kick from the edge of the area.

International career

He was a member of the England under-18 squad which defeated Austria 2–0 at Hartlepool United's Victoria Park on 16 April 2008.^[20]

Career statistics

As of match played 23 August 2014.^[21]

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Middlesbrough	2010–11	12	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1
	2011–12	13	0	2	0	3	0	0	0	18	0
	2012–13	22	2	2	0	4	1	0	0	28	3
	2013–14	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
	2013–14	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
Rotherham United (loan)	2013–14	18	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	20	0
Rotherham United (loan)	2014–15	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Career total		79	3	4	0	8	1	2	0	93	4

References

1. "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014.
2. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 496. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
3. "Boro extend scholarships of four academy players". Gazette Live. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
4. Macaskill, Sandy (20 October 2010). "Nottingham Forest 1 Middlesbrough 0: match report". The Daily Telegraph.
5. "Duo pen Boro deals". Sky Sports. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
6. "Cardiff 0–3 Middlesbrough" BBC Sport. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
7. "Preston 1–3 Middlesbrough" BBC Sport. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
8. "Charlton 1–4 Middlesbrough" BBC Sport. 3 November 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
9. "I know he is a good player with a lot of potential': Richard Smallwood still on Aitor Karanka radar". Gazette Live. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
10. "Middlesbrough: Aitor Karanka wants squad size reduced". BBC Sport. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
11. "Rotherham United land Richard Smallwood". Rotherham United FC. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
12. "Rotherham United 1 – 0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
13. "Boro midfielder Richard Smallwood aiming for Wembley glory with Rotherham United". Gazette Live. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
14. Maiden, Phil (28 August 2014). "Leyton Orient 2 – 2 Rotherham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
15. "Richard Smallwood: 'I'd never taken a senior-level penalty before play-off final shootout winner'". Gazette Live. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
16. "Transfer news: Middlesbrough turn down bid for Richie Smallwood". Sky Sports. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
17. "Ritchie's Back". Rotherham United FC. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
18. "Smallwood seals permanent switch". Rotherham United FC. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
19. "Richie Smallwood set for Rotherham return as Boro accept £175,000 bid". Gazette Live. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
20. "Richard Smallwood". The Football Association.
21. Richard Smallwood career statistics at Soccerbase

External links

• Richard Smallwood career statistics at Soccerbase