Despite signing a two-year contract at Barnsley 12 months ago, Conor Hourihane will wave goodbye to Oakwell this weekend for the last time as head coach.
The 35-year-old is considered a club legend, having led the club to the double of League One promotion and the EFL Trophy in 2016 during an accomplished midfield career, as well as making a stellar impact on the pitch and the club as a whole.
However, after some open and honest conversations with the club's hierarchy, he will be departing after reaching a mutual agreement with the Tykes.
Ahead of his farewell at Oakwell on Saturday, Hourihane shared an emotional parting message to Barnsley, with Jack Grealish and John Terry showing their support.
Jack Grealish and John Terry applaud Conor Hourihane in Barnsley farewell
Jack Grealish
It has been some journey for Hourihane, who played football at every level of the Football League pyramid before transitioning into a coaching role last year.
Already at Barnsley as a contracted player, he initially started as a player-coach before being named as the club's interim head coach when Darrell Clarke was sacked.
Following a positive start in South Yorkshire, he was handed a two-year deal in April 2025 and was viewed as a relatively low-risk appointment given his emotional ties with the club.
While he has done a steady job at the League One outfit, there has been no promotion challenge, with the club and manager agreeing that it is time for a fresh start next season.
Now, Hourihane has taken to his Instagram account to share a heartfelt message with everyone involved with the Tykes.
He said: "My last game at Oakwell on Saturday a day I’ll enjoy and cherish. The last 15months 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!"
In the comments, his former Aston Villa teammates responded with Grealish sending two applause and blue heart emojis, while Terry gave three applause emojis.
What next for Hourihane and Barnsley?
Conor Hourihane
Hourihane is bound to have learnt heaps from his first taste of management, and at just 35, he has plenty of time to achieve great things in his career.
Rather than take a step back, it seems that the Irishman is keen to jump straight into another role, although it is unknown where or at what level that role might be.
"I think I'm not ready to stop working or take six months out or whatever that looks like," he told the Yorkshire Post.
"I really want to reflect, re-evaluate and see opportunities that come my way. I am really open to head coach roles, of course, because ultimately I want to be a head coach."
Who would you like to take charge at Oakwell? Let us know in the comments!
As for Barnsley, they have been linked with a move for Notts County manager Martin Paterson, who served as an assistant to Michael Duff at Oakwell between 2022 and 2023.
However, with promotion a distinct possibility for the Magpies, they may have to wait and see what transpires at Meadow Lane before making their move.
Darren Moore has also been touted as a possibility for Barnsley, but local reports suggest that rumours of the former Sheffield Wednesday boss taking the helm are wide of the mark.
Whoever does take charge at Oakwell must be ambitious and able to hit the ground running, as the Tykes will surely be targeting promotion to the Championship next term.