Richard Smallwood
ratings updated 11 Oct 2026
Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Bristol Rovers.
Also this season
Parent club Tranmere — EFL Trophy: 4 apps, 0g 0a, 255 min
The headline Season rating covers his time at Bristol Rovers; availability counts only fixtures while in this squad.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 League Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 7.3 |
Scout report
R. Smallwood is a 35-year-old defensive midfielder at Bristol Rovers, enjoying a standout season — 0 goals and 0 assists in 9 appearances, a Season grade of 9, top 61% of League Two defensive midfielders. On long-term scout potential he's rated 7.4, ranking 220th of 245 in the League Two. A seasoned veteran, he has been a fringe squad member (31.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.44 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Smallwood.
Judged on this season alone, Smallwood graded 9 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 11th of 18 of the 18 defensive midfielders in the League Two, on 0 goals, 0 assists and 4.438 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 24 → 9). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2021/22.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 7, 17th of 18 of the 18 defensive midfielders in the League Two. At 35 Smallwood is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.4 reflects that trajectory.
Past his 2021/22 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.
Output in context · Bristol Rovers finished 9th of 24 · a mid-table side
4.44 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 3 clean sheets across 9 appearances.
Strengths
- Defensive volume. 4.44 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 31.4% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 7.4, Smallwood carries the 17th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the League Two of 18 — though on just 9 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.44 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Possession
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
