Republic of Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane has re-signed for Barnsley, seven years after leaving the Yorkshire club for Aston Villa.
The Cork native is well-regarded at Oakwell, having captained the Tykes to two victories at Wembley during the 2015/16 season.
The first was a 3-2 victory over Oxford United in the EFL Trophy final, before he skippered the side to a 3-1 win over Millwall in the League One play-off final.
Hourihane moved to Aston Villa that summer and helped the Midlands outfit to Premier League promotion three years later, before playing a key role in re-establishing the club in the top flight.
Following loans at Swansea City and Sheffield United in the Championship, Hourihane spent two seasons at Derby County in League One before being released at the end of his contract last month.
He now returns to Barnsley in a player/first team coach capacity, with the intention of taking on full-time coaching responsibilities at the League One club in two years' time.
"This is an exciting day for all of us, having Conor's experience around the building is going to be vitally important," said Barnsley head coach Darell Clarke.
"With over 600 games under his belt at every level including the Premier League and internationally with Ireland, there is nothing that Conor has not seen in the game and this will make him a top coach and someone our young squad can look to for guidance.
"The fact that he is also still going to be a player I can call upon makes this deal even sweeter. As soon we met last week, I knew this is someone who I would be delighted to welcome into my staff and onto my team, the hard work planning for pre-season is now firmly underway."
💬 "It feels a bit surreal to be honest!"
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) June 6, 2024
Watch our interview with @ConorHourihane in full over on iFollow Barnsley for FREE.
Hourihane, whose most recent Ireland appearance came in a 3-2 Nations League victory over Armenia in September 2022, said: "To start the next phase of my career here, at a Club I have such a history with is special to me and my family,"
"I can't wait to join Darrell’s coaching staff and to get back to playing on Oakwell too. It feels like I am home."
Meanwhile, Aberdeen have paid tribute to Ireland international Jonny Hayes after confirming that the long-serving winger is leaving Pittodrie having turned down the offer to stay on as a full-time youth coach.
The 36-year-old, who won four Ireland caps during the Martin O'Neill era, played over 350 times for Aberdeen across two spells from 2012-17 and 2020-24, leaving him 16th in the their all-time leading appearance list.
In addition to being a member of Aberdeen's first-team squad, the Dubliner had been doing some coaching work in the club’s academy in recent seasons.
Upon the expiry of his playing contract this summer, Hayes was offered a full-time coaching role but has "opted to pursue senior coaching opportunities at professional level elsewhere" amid reports that he is set to take on a role with former club Celtic.
"There is no doubt Jonny has made a significant impact during his time with the club and he can be extremely proud of his contribution to Aberdeen FC," director of football Steven Gunn told the Dons’ website.
"An integral part of the 2014 League Cup-winning squad, Jonny led the way on the pitch and in the dressing room in terms of his professionalism during both his spells at the club.
"His recent achievements with the Under-16s squad mark the beginning of a new chapter for him in a coaching capacity.
"Whilst we were keen for Jonny to remain at Pittodrie we respect his decision and wish him and his family both personal and professional success in the future. They will always be welcome at Pittodrie."
Hayes, who returned to Pittodrie in 2020 following three seasons at Celtic, described it as "a privilege" to play for Aberdeen.
"I’ve been fortunate to have played in many important games, and of course, play my part in delivering a trophy for the fans, who have supported me incredibly throughout the years," he said.
"I’ve always given my best, both on and off the field, and tried to uphold the values of Aberdeen FC.
"I also need to thank the club for giving me the opportunity to begin my coaching journey within the youth academy.
"The experience has been hugely rewarding seeing the progress, development and success of the academy as a whole over the last few years.
"The future is bright for the club and although I won’t be playing at Pittodrie anymore, I’ll always be a supporter of the club and city and I wish everyone associated with AFC all the very best going forward."
Aberdeen, whose new manager Jimmy Thelin officially kicked off his reign this month, also confirmed that "discussions regarding out of contract players are ongoing" and plan to issue a further update in due course.
