Did Conor Hourihane returning to the club influence your decision to buy a season ticket

He didn't influence my decision, nor has my decision ever been influenced by the squad, signings or manager.

But when they announced the signing, I was definitely excited to see him play for us this season, if only a reduced part. If they *did* know at the time it would be virtually nothing, I'd have preferred to be told that.

I'm staggered though at the amount of people who think this was some kind of evil plan to hoodwink people into parting with their cash. As if DC and the club wouldn't have liked Conor performing at the level he did for Derby last season - of course they bloody would. He's clear in his interview that he didn't feel he could do himself justice anymore, and that correlates with the only time I saw him against Mansfield on the opening day.

Could he have tried harder to get fitter? Could the club have put more pressure on him to play a greater role? Possibly, but none of us know, and it doesn't sit well with me that he's starting a coaching career with us with so many people openly questioning what he might bring to the table. If he'd retired in the summer and then joined us as a coach, everyone would be patting the club on the back for bringing home a legend.

Seems to me we took a gamble on whether he could still do it, it hasn't worked out the way everyone might have hoped, but we've still got a positive from it.

Thanks for the memories Conor, and here's to the next chapter.

 

Agree

 

I'm quite pleased he doesn't play, based on his performances against us, where he wasn't outstanding.