The unheralded Hull City player who is proving he'll be key as squad reshaped for next season

Richie Smallwood has been a divisive figure amongst Hull City fans almost from the day he arrived at the club from Blackburn Rovers last summer, as Grant McCann prepared his squad for what proved to be a first league title in 55 years and promotion back to the Championship. Almost two years on, Smallwood remains as divisive as ever, possibly even more so now that the 31-year-old is playing in the second tier and is one of eight Tigers players coming to the end of their initial contracts this summer.

For those wondering why Smallwood is so divisive, it's nothing to do with his attitude, what he opts to do away from football or even the colour of boots he plays with on a Saturday afternoon, it's entirely down to his role within the team and his perceived benefit.

Smallwood is a leader, he's prime captain material and that's why he was brought to the club a couple of summers ago by McCann, he was signed with the aim of guiding the ship through a tough league and back into the Championship, a role he played to perfection.

This season, there's been a significant step up when it comes to the quality of player City are up against, and while there have been times when Smallwood and his colleagues have struggled, they've stuck to their task manfully and shown that they're capable of competing at this level.

At the age of 31, Smallwood isn't getting any younger, but his experience throughout his campaign has been instrumental, particularly in a relatively young squad which, at times, has found the going tough at this level. Every good team needs a player of his style within it, one to win the ball and give it those capable of creating something with it. It requires a calm and steady head to understand his role within the side and