Barnsley have turned their attention to Rochdale manager Jimmy McNulty as their search for a new leader intensifies.

The Tykes are on the lookout for a new boss after Conor Hourihane agreed to depart Oakwell at the end of the season, with his final match in charge ending in a 3-1 loss to play-off bound Stockport County.

McNulty Admired By Barnsley

The search for a new manager has already taken a few turns, most notably the news that former Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore was not under consideration to fill the vacancy in South Yorkshire.

Now, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon page, Barnsley have turned their attention to a former Reds player in Jimmy McNulty, who has spearheaded Rochdale’s recent charges towards promotion in the National League.

The 41-year-old, who played two seasons for the club in the Championship, took his first steps into management at Spotland in an interim role, before being handed the reins full-time in March 2023.

This season has seen the Scotsman lead Rochdale in an electric title race with York City, but ended up on the wrong side of the result against the Minstermen on the final day to condemn them to the playoffs, where they face Scunthorpe United in the first game on the road to Wembley.

Nixon’s report notes that McNulty has caught the attention of Barnsley for his ability to play forward-thinking football while on a stringent budget, something that any prospective Tykes manager will face due to recent news that the League One side’s budget will be restricted going forward.

Playoff Fate Determines Future

Barnsley’s chances in trying to secure one of their leading targets in Jimmy McNulty is likely to come down to whether he can push Rochdale into the EFL.

The Greater Manchester side have had a very impressive season, and should deservedly have a place in League Two for next season if not for the restrictive promotion rules in place.

As firm favourites in the playoffs, the Dale should be able to put themselves over the line, but as seen in recent seasons, things can go awry for the second-placed teams in these one-off contests.

Promotion would surely keep McNulty with the project he has built at Spotland, and with the current quality of their squad, they should be able to challenge at the very top of the fourth tier, in a similar ilk to Barnet, Stockport County and Wrexham in recent seasons.