LEAVING Barnsley on the right terms means a lot to Conor Hourihane after his spell as head coach came to an end.

The Bandon man is now on the lookout for his next coaching opportunity, but the former Barnsley captain and head coach will always have a soft spot for the club.

‘I’m so grateful for the opportunity the club gave me,’ Hourihane said after his final game in charge, a 3-1 home loss to Stockport that saw Barnsley finish 15th in League One.

‘There are so many head coaches and assistant coaches looking for head coach roles, and Barnsley gave me the foundation to start my journey. I did my utmost to grab it and make the most of it.

‘I’ll always be grateful to the club for giving me that opportunity. They’ve given me a massive step forward so early in my coaching career, to go on to whatever comes next.’

It was announced in mid-April that Hourihane and Barnsley would part ways at the end of the season by mutual consent.

This brings the West Cork man’s second spell at the club to an end, having previously played for Barnsley between 2014 and ’17, captaining the Tykes to promotion to the Championship and Football League Trophy success.

Hourihane returned as a player-coach in the summer of 2024 and was soon elevated to head coach in his first season back – his first role at that level.

‘You don’t get loads of connections with football clubs throughout your career. You go somewhere, you’re there for a year or two and sometimes you can’t leave your mark,’ he said.

‘The biggest thing for me is to leave a mark on a place.

‘The fans recognise the hard work I put in the first time as a player and captain. The second time, they weren’t happy at times with results – and neither was I, because I’m competitive and want to win more – but they understood there was context.

‘It was my first role, I was learning on the job.

‘Leaving on the right terms is so important, to keep that door open. I did that as a player, which is why I ended up back here for this role.

‘Now, moving forward, I know I’ll be welcomed back because we’ve left things in a really good place again. I think that’s really important.’