Bristol Rovers have signed Richie Smallwood from Tranmere Rovers on a permanent one-year deal. The midfielder had been on loan at the Memorial Stadium since January, appearing 14 times for the Pirates in League Two.

What happened?

Richie Smallwood expressed his delight at signing permanently, stating he's looking forward to getting back and continuing the momentum from the end of last season.

Why it matters for Bristol Rovers

Manager Steve Evans added that Smallwood's experience and quality were clear during his loan spell, and he's glad to have him in the team for next season.

What comes next?

As of the current season, Bristol Rovers are standing 14th in England League Two, with 62 points from 46 games, and a recent form of DWWWW. Their last result was a 1-1 draw against Notts County on 2026-05-02. | Stat | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 14th in England League Two | | Points | 62 | | Recent form | DWWWW | | Last result | Notts County 1-1 Bristol Rovers | Smallwood, 35, began his career at Middlesborough before moving to Rotherham, where he scored the winning penalty in a play-off final shootout against Leyton Orient in 2014 to secure promotion to the Championship. He then achieved the same feat with Hull in 2020-21, before moving on to Bradford City and then Tranmere. In total, he has made 521 appearances in the EFL. With the signing of Smallwood, Bristol Rovers aim to strengthen their squad and improve their performance in the upcoming season.