Barnsley’s season has petered out, although their 4-1 win over Bolton Wanderers at the weekend suggested there is potential with the ranks. It was a victory overseen by Conor Hourihane, who picked up the baton when Darrell Clarke was relieved of his duties.
The Reds icon, who started the season as a registered player, is expected to remain in charge at Oakwell until the end of the season. He could potentially remain in post for longer, but it remains to be seen whether his audition for the gig will have sufficiently impressed the hierarchy.
Speaking about the vacancy last month, Barnsley chairman Neerav Parekh said: "We have had a lot of inbound interest, to be honest. "Some Championship managers to League One managers and a lot of people want the job - in fact far more than last summer.
"So I think Barnsley is an attractive place for head coaches to come and prove how good they are. That said, we made the clear decision that the best options would be available in the summer.
"There’s plenty of work going on in the background. We are fairly confident we will get a really good coach in. We want the best possible option that is going to be available in the summer."
Here is a fresh look at the frontrunners to lead Barnsley into next season. Odds are courtesy of Gambling.com, who are giving away FA Cup final tickets in a free-to-enter competition.
