By Jason McKeown

The Austrian hills are alive with the sound of Bradford City players cycling to build up their fitness, and a small part of Birkenhead is alive with the sound of Richie Smallwood scribbling his signature on a contract to play for Tranmere Rovers in the 2025/26 season.

The world turns fast, and the Bantams are preparing for an assault on League One without the considerable presence of the guy who captained and scooped every player of the season award going during their successful escape from League Two. It no doubt proved to be a tough summer for Smallwood, getting his head around being offered and then not offered a deal to remain a City player. In the circumstances, League Two Tranmere is a very good move for a guy who has spent his entire playing career in the North. To put it another way, Smallwood could one day be an ideal candidate for the Huddersfield Town manager’s job.

There is no question that Graham Alexander’s decision to let Smallwood leave is a big call and perhaps one of the biggest he has made since taking the Valley Parade hotseat. In a recent appearance on the Greatness on Demand podcast, Alexander articulated his reasoning for the change of heart on keeping Smallwood. He explains how he drove to the North East to tell Smallwood face-to-face that he didn’t see his skipper playing every week this coming season, and that this could be a scenario the player would struggle to cope with. Smallwood understandably disagreed and said he backed himself to play more often than Alexander predicted. Which may have been true, but missed the point.

Smallwood would make a great back up option no doubt, but it would be a diminished level of responsibility that he would likely struggle to accept, especially after a season where he was almost ever-present. On the same podcast, Alexander talked about his own playing days – and how he refused to accept any suggestions from his then-managers that he should be rested, even as he got older. He described how Smallwood was his colonel and he evidently knew the player inside out – and with his own perspective, he probably knew Smallwood better than Smallwood knew himself. Namely, how he would mentally cope with sitting on the sidelines.

There’s plenty of examples of players who have struggled in this situation. Alexander was talking about all of this opposite Greatness on Demand podcast co-host Dean Windass, who in January 2009 was pushed out of Premier League Hull City after publicly complaining about lack of first team opportunities.

At City, we had two players of the Smallwood mould who faced similar tests. There was Stuart McCall, who like Smallwood gave everything to the cause and remained a considerable influence even as he got into his advancing years. McCall was famously left out of Scotland’s World Cup squad for France 1998 with manager Craig Brown suggesting he could be a negative influence if he isn’t playing. In 2014, Phil Parkinson let Gary Jones leave Valley Parade when it seemed logical to keep the veteran as a squad member for the following season. Parkinson never disclosed his reasons for releasing Jones, but clearly the midfielder’s all action style meant it would have been very difficult for him to accept a role of back up.

There is something about the identity of these types of players that makes them thrive and lead everyone else in the trenches, but struggle and possibly pout on the sidelines. They build their reputations on covering every blade of grass, giving absolutely everything to the cause, which attracts admiration and affection of team-mates, manager and supporters. Taking away their ability to be so influential (by leaving them out the team) is like metaphorically chopping their arms off. What are they if they’re not allowed to give 110%?

Windass talks on the podcast about how he always wanted to be the best player in the team he is playing for. Alexander says he was built differently, and his drive was to be the person who everyone else in the team could rely on. The one who will always be available for a pass and to set others up. At the heart of both is an overwhelming desire to have purpose and to make a difference. And it’s a lot harder to do either of those things when you’re collecting splinters on the bench.

Smallwood is clearly built similar to Alexander, Windass, McCall and Jones. He had his faults at City, but effort and bravery were definitely not among them. If anything, he tried to do too much (those bloomin’ set pieces!) but his will to win was infectious. Smallwood helped everyone around him live up to the considerable challenge of performing to a demanding Bradford public by setting the example for others to follow.

He could have done a job for City next season, of course he could, but playing 25-30 games instead of 50+ would have been hard for him to accept. He’d have probably been a regular knocker on Alexander’s door, wanting to know why he wasn’t in the starting XI. And whilst there is no reason to doubt his professionalism for one second, who knows what weeks and months of not being a guaranteed starter would have done to his outlook and influence on the squad?

Alexander played over 1,000 games which included making his Premier League debut at 37 – three years older than Smallwood is right now. He will know better than anyone that Smallwood could still have so much mileage in the tank, and that another 150-200 career games is not an impossible target. But Smallwood won’t necessarily get to do that whilst remaining a City player for this season, and so it is best for the player and perhaps the Bantams’ squad morale that he finds that gametime elsewhere.

It all means Tranmere have made a very fine signing. And there’s no reason why he won’t have a brilliant season at Prenton Park, taking on a senior role and becoming the main man for Rovers. And as he does, we’ll watch on from afar cheering him on for what we did for Bradford City. There will be days ahead when we will miss him for sure, but Smallwood’s remaining career has more potential than bit part squad player.

Categories: Opinion

Tags: BCAFC, Richie Smallwood