'I gave it my all' - Conor Hourihane shares poignant message as prepares for Barnsley FC farewell
Conor Hourihane shares poignant message ahead of Barnsley farewell
Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane has said he will “enjoy and cherish” his Oakwell farewell at the weekend.
Just over a year after taking the Barnsley reins on a permanent basis, Hourihane will vacate his post when the current season comes to a close.
The curtain will come down on his tenure on Saturday (May 2), when Stockport County visit South Yorkshire.
Conor Hourihane’s heartfelt message
Posting on Instagram, Hourihane said: “My last game at Oakwell on Saturday, a day I’ll enjoy and cherish. The last 15 months has been incredible, lots of ups and downs and challenges daily.
“I’ve taken so many learning experiences from it all to make me better moving forward. Thanks to the club, players and staff for all the help, hard work and support during my time.
“To the fans, thank you for all your support, to play and manage the club has been a great honour and in both roles I gave it my all. Time to recharge but excited to see what’s next.”
From player to head coach
Hourihane represented the Reds as a player with distinction between 2014 and 2017, eventually returning as a player-coach in 2024.
He retired after just a handful of appearances back at Oakwell, moving into full-time coaching as part of Darrell Clarke’s team. When Clarke was relieved of his duties, he stepped into the head coach role.
The 35-year-old has been unable to oversee a promotion push and the Reds are languishing in the bottom half of the League One table.
After a mutual agreement regarding his exit was struck last month, Barnsley’s CEO Jon Flatman said: “We would like to thank Conor for his hard work and commitment during his time in charge.
“After honest conversations between the board and Conor, it was felt that the best course of action for both parties would be to pursue a fresh start ahead of preparations for the 2026/27 season.
“We are now looking to ensure a smooth transition between Conor and our new head coach through to the end of the current campaign.”