Tuesday 20 June 2017 16:06, UK
Blackburn Rovers have signed midfielder Richie Smallwood on a two-year deal.
The 26-year-old has joined on a free transfer from Rotherham United and has previously worked with manager Tony Mowbray at Middlesbrough.
Smallwood came through the youth ranks at the Riverside, representing England at Under-18 level, before making his first-team debut in October 2010.
He would go on to make 72 appearances for the Teesside club, the majority under Mowbray, scoring four goals.
Smallwood spent the second half of the 2013-14 season on loan at Rotherham and helped the club earn promotion to the Championship - scoring the winning penalty against Leyton Orient in the League One play-off final at Wembley.
The midfielder joined Rotherham on a permanent basis in August 2014 and was a virtual ever-present over the next two years, as the Millers maintained their Championship status.
Following the arrival of new manager Alan Stubbs, Smallwood was sent out on loan to Scunthorpe United in August 2016, scoring on his debut in a 4-0 victory over Southend.
He made 19 appearances for the Iron, who made a stunning start to the League One season, losing just two of their opening 20 league games, which saw them sweep into top spot, and setting a new club record of going 22 home games without defeat.
Smallwood was recalled by Rotherham in January 2017, with Scunthorpe in the automatic promotion positions, and featured regularly for the Millers during the second half of last season.
