Plymouth Argyle capitalised on Ipswich Town contract decision in £0 transfer masterstroke | OneFootball

Having had a fantastic career in the EFL, it is easy to forget that it was Plymouth Argyle who first took a chance on Conor Hourihane.

Barnsley manager Conor Hourihane is remembered by supporters of multiple clubs across the EFL for his exploits during his playing career.

The former Irish midfielder played a crucial role in Aston Villa's rise back to the Premier League following their relegation in 2016, arriving at the club after a sensational spell at Oakwell.

However, it is easy to forget the one contractual decision that allowed Hourihane to go on and make his name at Plymouth Argyle.

Joining the club on a free transfer from Ipswich Town, the midfielder went on to become a key player for Argyle before making the switch to South Yorkshire in 2014.

Plymouth capitalised on Ipswich Town's Conor Hourihane decision in big way

Hourihane signed for Ipswich from Sunderland in 2010. However, he did not make a single appearance for the Tractor Boys as they finished 13th in the Championship.

Deciding to let the midfielder leave on a free transfer at the end of the 2010/11 campaign, Hourihane would join Plymouth after a trial period at Home Park, becoming Peter Reid's sixth signing of the summer as they prepared for life in League Two after relegation.

Going on to make 142 appearances for Argyle, Hourihane was vital as the club secured safety in their opening two terms in the fourth tier, before climbing up to 10th in his final year.

Hourihane was given the role of club captain in 2012 following the departure of Darren Purse, who made the switch to Port Vale, and he went on to further thrive at the club, scoring 29 goals and assisting 23 times before moving to Barnsley at the end of the 2013/14 campaign.

Plymouth were not able to climb out of the fourth tier while Hourihane was at the club, but the Irishman will always be remembered fondly for his impact.

Hourihane's upward trajectory left Ipswich with regret

Appearing 136 times for Barnsley as the Tykes bounced between the second and third tiers of English football, Hourihane made the step-up to both League One and the Championship comfortably.

At Oakwell, his killer instinct continued to develop. In Barnsley's promotion campaign of 2015/16, Hourihane netted 10 times and provided 13 assists, and he went on to create another 11 goals in the first half of the 2016/17 campaign, this time in the Championship.

This prompted Aston Villa to sign him in a £3 million deal in January 2017, with the club sitting in the mid-table area of the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League.

Scoring 11 times in the following campaign as Villa made it to the play-off final before an eventual loss against Fulham, the midfielder became known for his spectacular efforts from distance.

A year later, Villa would go on to achieve promotion to the Premier League, and Hourihane's key role continued, as he added another eight goals and 11 assists.

He would go on to have spells with Swansea, Sheffield United and Derby, before ending up back at Barnsley, where he was appointed as head coach following his retirement in December 2024.

During the prime years of Hourihane's career, Ipswich were stuck in the Championship and even got relegated to League One at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

While Plymouth didn't get to see the midfielder spend his best years at the club, they will always be the side that took a gamble on the youngster at the time, before he blossomed into a fantastic midfielder at the top end of the Championship.