Barnsley FC head coach Conor Hourihane in transfer admission regarding former team-mates as Reds announce retained list

Hourihane, pictured, who was handed the full-time Reds post last month following an interim spell in charge after the sacking of Darrell Clarke - who was reappointed by his former club Bristol Rovers this week - has quickly turned his attention to recruitment with the regular season now over following last weekend’s 4-2 win in their game of the League One season at Reading.

The club have announced their retained list with senior players Josh Benson, Sam Cosgrove, Jonathan Lewis, Aiden Marsh, Conor McCarthy, Donovan Pines among those to leave Oakwell.

A contract option activated on youngster Connor Barratt, who broke into the first team late on in the season, while forward Stephen Humphrys and keeper Kieren Flavell are among those offered fresh terms.

Academy product Flavell impressed after stepping in for injured duo Jackson Smith and Joe Gauci.

His contractual situation has been in focus, with several clubs, including Sheffield United and Fulham having been alerted to the fact that he is out of contract in the summer.

While the club are busy finalising their retained list, Hourihane and the recruitment team have drawn up a list of targets, with the 34-year-old likely to play an active role.

The widely-respected former Republic of Ireland midfielder enjoyed a distinguished career at a number of clubs alongside Barnsley, including Derby County, Aston Villa and Plymouth Argyle and spent loan spells at the likes of Sheffield United and Swansea City.

He said: "I am a young coach, not long out of the game (from) playing.

"A lot of the players I played with are still playing and there’s been contact with certain individuals I have played with before to see if they would like to come.

"In terms of the age and connections I have got, I have got quite a few (contacts) and speak to people all the time.

"It’s so important over the years to apply yourself correctly because now all of a sudden, you are looking for favours from certain people.

"I think that's really important - going about your business in the right way, every single day and pride yourself on being a good person first over anything else and hopefully off the back of that, when you are looking for a favour off a couple of people, they will come through."

The club have announced that youngsters Theo Chapman, Josiah Dyer, Adam Hayton, Charlie Hickingbottom, Nathan James, Jean Claude Makiessi, Emmaisa Nzondo, Hayden Pickard and Callum West will also leave at the end of their current deals.

Luke Alker, Aaron Atkinson, Kieran Graham, Ziggy Kozluk, Bayley McCann – son of Doncaster manager Grant – and Tom Senior have been offered fresh deals.

Academy players Geoffrey Lundoloki, Elliott Probert, Kallum Reid, Maxwell Swift, William Thompson, Malachi Tommy-Mbogba and Owen Warburton will leave the club.