LAST UPDATE | 3 Jan
LEAGUE ONE PROMOTION hopefuls Barnsley have signed Shamrock Rovers star Neil Farrugia on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
As reported by The 42, the former Ireland U21 international travelled over to England this week for talks with the South Yorkshire club, who confirmed Farrugia’s signing on Friday evening.
The 42 understands that Dundee FC also expressed strong interest in bringing Farrugia to the Scottish Premiership, but that Barnsley were in pole position in the race for his signature.
“This is a big club full of ambitions and I’m really looking forward to it,” Farrugia said.
“I’ve come over to England for that new challenge, to take that next step and I’m going to embrace it.”
The Terriers already have considerable Irish influence with former Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane appointed first-team coach following his recent retirement.
Former Ireland U21 international Luca Connell is club captain, while Farrugia’s former Rovers team-mate Barry Cotter and ex-Cork City defender Conor McCarthy are in the first-team squad at Oakwell.
Farrugia’s rotten run of injury luck looked set to dog his 2024 campaign with Rovers after he suffered a serious shoulder injury on the opening night of the season.
But he bounced back to full fitness and established himself as one of the Hoops’ key men both domestically and in their groundbreaking European campaign, turning the heads of cross-channel suitors.
The 25-year-old made 22 league appearances for Stephen Bradley’s side this season, scoring twice, and also featured 13 times in Europe, scoring in the wins against NK Celje and Borac Banja Luka.
Barnsley, who currently sit sixth in the League One table, play Crawley Town on Saturday but Farrugia will not be eligible to play while he awaits international clearance.
Big loss for Rovers and the league. Hopefully we get some replacements in soon.
@David H: isn’t it a shame that our league is losing its best players to relatively small poor teams in the lower leagues of England. If he was leaving for premiership or even championship, it would be a natural progression but this is moving sideways at best. I guess it’s due to Irish punters supporting English teams over their own.
Hopefully it works out for him a lot have gone over to league 1 and it didn’t work out Danny Mandroiu who being honest had the talent to break it. Just seems some when they go over get lost over there. At times you would think if a move to other places might be better be it Scotland or Dutch football. I am guessing Rovers will have a lot of teams looking at there players as they have been great in European competition this season.
A fabulous player at rovers.As per previous comments we need to replace him with quality.