Bastien Hery: Rochdale midfielder denies 'dump' comments

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Rochdale midfielder Bastian Hery has made 22 appearances this season

Rochdale midfielder Bastien Hery has denied calling the town "a dump" in a French magazine interview.

In a Rochdale said the Frenchman's interview was mistranslated and taken out of context.

It read: "It has been claimed he labelled Rochdale as 'a dump - gloomy and grey' but a translation has shown that nowhere in the original article does Bastien make such a comment."

Hery, 22, who lives in Stockport, apologised for any "confusion" caused.

"I did the interview for a French magazine and I would never say anything like that about Rochdale - the club or the town," he said.

"Rochdale is my first club and I love it because it has made me what I am now.

"I love the fans because it's a real family club - everyone is close together.

"When I got here they were all so nice to me, so I'm really disappointed that what I have said has been taken the wrong way."

The former Paris St-Germain youth player attracted criticism for the comments attributed to him, including from Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk.

Danczuk responded to the Rochdale statement saying: "Pleased to hear Bastien Hery doesn't think Rochdale's a dump but the fact he won't live here is hardly a vote of confidence in our town."