Comment: How Conor Hourihane is proving a bargain for Aston Villa

The list of players who have been signed for big sums and delivered very little is lengthy.

One player who certainly can’t be accused of falling into that category is Conor Hourihane. Purchased for a fee of around £1.5million from Barnsley back in January 2017, the Corkman must now be considered something of a bargain, such has been his impact on Villa’s season.

Most importantly, Hourihane has provided Villa with the goal-threat from central midfield they had been lacking ever since James Milner moved to Manchester City all the way back in August 2010.

His goal in last Saturday’s 4-2 win at Sheffield Wednesday took his tally to nine for the Championship campaign, the first time a Villa midfielder has hit that figure in the league since Garry Parker during the inaugural 1992-93 Premier League campaign.

With 12 games remaining, the smart money is on Hourihane becoming Villa’s first central midfielder since David Platt (1990-91) to hit double figures in the league.

For all the usual caveats about Parker and Platt achieving their feats in the top flight, Hourihane’s success remains testament to the hard-working attitude of a player who worked his way up from the foot of League Two after initially failing to make the grade at Sunderland.

There were times at Plymouth, during the 2010-11 season, when Hourihane and his team-mates went weeks without being paid, such was the parlous financial state of the Devon club.

More than seven years on, the Premier League is suddenly within reach.

“For whatever we paid for Conor, he has been fantastic value,” said boss Steve Bruce yesterday. “He is someone who enjoys playing football, enjoys training and all aspects of it. When he gets round the 18-yard box, he is a wonderful finisher.

“He practices every day. He is the last person on the training ground usually. To get the goals he has, he can be very pleased.”

As last weekend again proved, Hourihane has developed the healthy habit of scoring important goals.

It might even be possible to argue his first goal of the season was also the most vital in the context of Villa’s season. An 87th minute consolation during the 2-1 defeat at Reading back in August might not have earned his team any points. Yet it did bring Villa alive for the final minutes of an otherwise poor performance – providing momentum which was then carried into the 4-2 win over Norwich four days later which finally got the season off the ground, Hourihane becoming the first midfielder since Platt to score a hat-trick.

Since then there has been a match-winning free-kick against Forest, a sensational Second City derby strike and last week’s goal which finally tipped an end-to-end game decisively in Villa’s favour.

It would be wrong to claim there are no elements of the game Hourihane must improve if he is succeed at the next level. The 27-year-old would be the first to admit that himself.

Yet his knack for scoring has made him a valuable member of Villa’s team. Speaking to the Express & Star at the club’s pre-season training camp in Portugal, Hourihane was under no illusions as to what lay ahead.

“Ultimately now I will be judged on this season and so will the squad,” he said. “Everyone is in the firing line. It is up to me as an individual and us as a team to produce.”

So far, he has undoubtedly kept his side of the bargain.