'I'm in pain, it stings': Emotional Dale boss holds back tears after Cup hurt

Hereford fans celebrate dumping Rochdale out of the FA Cup

Rochdale fans have been left seething - and their manager visibly upset - after their side were dumped out of the FA Cup by Hereford.

The National League side, relegated from League Two last season, were hopeful of cruising through their first FA Cup qualifying in nearly 100 years.

But it wasn't to be as the Greater Manchester side as they appeared to have no plan B when the Bulls did their best to nullify plan A.

Despite a weakened midfielder with Jordan Lyden absent through illness, Dale continued playing wide.

They had chances, but Curtis Pond pulled of a couple of good saves to keep the scores level before Ethan Freemantle broke the deadlock late in the second half.

After the final whistle, knee-jerk reactions from Dale fans online called it one of the worst days in the club's history and called for the manager's head.

But for the boss himself, Jimmy McNulty looked visibly upset in his post-match interview, saying he was hurting, as he rued his side's missed chances. 

By the 25th minute, the Bulls had already seen a Harvey Gilmour goal ruled out for offside, a Ryan East shot saved by Curtis Pond and Jimmy Keohane's strike hit the stanchion.

But the Bulls kept Dale at bay.

Jimmy McNulty On Left Of Picture

"I'm massively, massively hurting, we all are, the players are," said former centre-back McNulty, who's a rookie manager having taken over the reins at Dale last year.

"I'm in a bit of pain, it stings. I feel like I can't talk too much about the game, about how the game went, who should have won today and who should have scored.

"I'm in pain. I've said to the players that genuinely, my best moment in this job, genuinely, are seeing them happy, seeing the fans happy, seeing my two daughters when I get home and they always watch the game and how happy they were that someone scored or you know, someone did this or did you see this, daddy?

"It makes them so happy, you know, at the good times, it makes them happy. And you guys [the media team], like, I know how big Rochdale fans you are.

"I've been here a long time. I've looked into your eyes so many times. I've looked into the fan's eyes so many times."

The emotional lecture from the former defender, who's been at the club since 2015, continued: "I see the YouTube videos, the behind-the-scenes, I see the closeness of everyone working all here, all hoping, all hoping for something.

"I hope for it too because I've been here a long time and my best moments are everyone else's happiness and definitely include the players and my staff, me staff who work so hard.

"The one thing I want to give them is the result they all want. I want them to be happy. I want  I feel devastated when they're not."