Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane is set to leave at the end of the season, and former Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore is the frontrunner to replace him.
Hourihane to leave Barnsley by mutual content
Chief executive Jon Flatman recently confirmed the mutual decision to part ways with Hourihane at the end of the campaign, saying: “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.
“We are now looking to ensure a smooth transition between Conor and our new head coach through to the end of the current campaign.”
The Tykes have been in League One since being relegated from the Championship in the 2021-22 campaign, and they are set to remain in the third tier next season, given that they are in 12th place, 12 points adrift of Stevenage, who occupy the final play-off spot.
The Reds will be hoping to bring in a Hourihane replacement who is capable of leading them back to the Championship, and they have now set their sights on a manager with experience of winning promotion to the second tier.
Darren Moore emerges as frontrunner for Barnsley job
According to a report from Sports Boom, former Sheffield Wednesday boss Moore is the leading candidate for the Barnsley job, with the 51-year-old available after being sacked by Port Vale in December.
Darren Moore’s record as Port Vale manager
- 100 matches
- 38 wins
- 24 draws
- 38 defeats
- 1.38 points per match
The former Jamaica international led the Valiants to promotion from League Two last season, and he knows what it takes to get out of League One too, securing Wednesday’s return to the Championship with a 1-0 play-off final victory against the Tykes in 2023.
The shocking full list of everything the EFL are punishing Sheffield Wednesday with
The Owls are faced with another points deduction.
What Reece James has said about Darren Moore
Former Sheffield Wednesday defender Reece James, not to be confused with the Chelsea captain, has spoken very highly of the ex-Owls boss, saying: “I’ve worked with Darren before. I was with him at Doncaster (Rovers) and I absolutely loved it.
“He’s an incredible person, an incredible gaffer, and I think every player showed their respect in the second leg of the play-offs – everyone worked for him, everyone wanted to fight for exactly what he believed in and what we could achieve.”
With that in mind, Moore could be an exciting appointment for Barnsley, but it remains to be seen whether he will be keen on a move to Oakwell, as the board are reportedly set to tighten the purse strings next season.
