I won’t lose any sleep if I spike the Tykes – Hourihane

CONOR Hourihane says there will be no room for sentimentality as he aims to steer Swansea City past former club Barnsley and into the Premier League.

Hourihane spent three largely successful years at Oakwell and is fondly remembered by many Reds fans, after captaining the South Yorskhire side to League One play-off success in 2016.

It appears the feeling is mutual, with the 30-year-old admitting that he still has a soft spot for his former club.

Speaking to Swansea City’s official website, he said: “That is a club I hold very fond to my heart now, they put me on the map really.

“We had great success there, we won at Wembley twice. I have been back there a few times since and they are a fantastic club and I was in the right place at the right time.

“I still speak to Paul Heckingbottom as he was my boss there, and a few of the other lads. I had a great time there.”

However, despite his fondness for the Tykes, he insists he is fully focused on the task at hand with Swansea, who are preparing for their second play-off campaign in as many seasons.

“Wherever I have played I care about the club I represent,” he added.

“Obviously, I want to do well from a selfish point of view, but I also want to make sure I help that club achieve what it wants to achieve.

“I know what the goal is here, I know how great promotion is, and I know what is at the end of the road and I want to get this club get over that line.”

It’s been quite a journey for the Irishman, who actually went to the same school as TV comic Graham Norton back in his native Ireland.

However, it was another, slightly more serious Cork boy who gave Hourihane his first shot in English football.

After being scouted by Liverpool and Celtic, Hourihane had initially set his heart on a move to Southampton, who boasted young players like Theo Walcott, Adam Lallana and, of course, Gareth Bale within their youth ranks, but would later link up with Roy Keane and Sunderland.

“I wanted to sign for Southampton actually, but they were in administration and had to withdraw the contract,” he said.

“At that time Roy Keane became Sunderland manager, I had a trial and decided to go there. The rest is history I guess. My experience with him was excellent, he looked out for other lads from Cork coming through. He knew what it was like to come over to England from Cork, and he had a keen eye for that.

“I have nothing but good things to say about Roy, he signed me twice as I went on to go to Ipswich when he was there. He has also been my assistant manager with Ireland, and I have nothing but great things to say about him.”

That second spell with Ipswich didn’t quite work out, and Hourihane would later have to work his way back up the leagues after dropping down to the fourth tier with Plymouth Argyle, where he caught the eye of Barnsley with a rich run of form. Next it was Villa, where he helped the midlands giants return to the Premier League. He would dearly love to repeat the trick with the Swans.

“Why can’t it be us? You have to put yourself in a position, and you can only do that by being a good team that works hard,” he said.

“I said from the moment I came here, this wasn’t just about turning out and playing some games.

“I want to play my part in helping this club achieve something.”