Barnsley head coach Conor Hourihane is to leave the club at the end of the season by mutual agreement.
The former Aston Villa and Derby County midfielder was appointed on an interim basis in March 2025 following the sacking of Darrell Clarke and given a two-year contract the following month.
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This season, though, has been a disappointment with the club currently 12th in League One, 12 points outside the play-off places.
“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,” the club said.
“We are now looking to ensure a smooth transition between Conor and our new head coach through to the end of the current campaign.”
Hourihane is a club legend at Oakwell, having scored 31 goals in 135 appearances in his first spell at the club and captained them to an EFL Trophy and League One promotion double in 2016.
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He won 36 caps for the Republic of Ireland during his career and returned to Barnsley as a player-coach under Clarke in the summer of 2024, but only played two games before deciding to hang up his boots.
“I am incredibly grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity to begin my management journey, particularly at a club that means so much to me,” he said.
“Following discussions between the club and myself, we both felt that a change in the summer would be best to ensure a smooth transition.
“The main focus now is on the final five games and finishing the season as strongly as possible to provide the best platform going forward.”
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Hourihane’s final game in charge will be a home fixture against Stockport County on 2 May.
Barnsley are currently in their fourth successive season in the third tier of English football, and reached the play-offs in 2023 and 2024.
The club announced a net loss of more than £6.5m for the 12 months ended in June 2025.
They will now begin the search for their seventh head coach since Valerien Ismael left in the summer of 2021 after guiding them to the Championship play-offs, the closest they have come to a return to the Premier League since their single top-flight season in 1997-98.
Conor Hourihane captained Barnsley to a 3-1 win over Millwall in the 2016 League One play-off final [Getty Images]
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