Iron Men

---

1

[cheering]

[Mark Noble] This is a family,

this ain't a football club.

When you come to this football

club, you get embraced.

You've given something back

tonight

that we'll never forget

and we're proud of that.

[cheering]

[man 1] Upton Park has been

my home, it's been my escape.

This is where it all started,

this is where it all happens,

and I don't really want

to leave this.

[man 2] This is not going

to be the same, not coming here

and not coming to this area

we're in...

Just really like,

a gut-wrenching feeling.

It's like you're splitting up

two brothers,

one's going away

over here somewhere

and then this one is

going to be, you know...

He's going to be

distraught there.

[Mark] My dad

always said to me,

"Mark, you're West Ham captain.

West Ham goes back

hundreds of years

and there's so much history

around it."

[crowd gasps]

[man 3] Brilliant ground,

and it's one of

the traditional grounds.

It's, like, pure football

ground.

[man 4] You've got characters

all around you.

Everywhere is a character.

[woman]

Well, it's meant everything.

It's part of our life.

[man 5]

The Boleyn is what it is.

It's so historical,

Bit gutted, really.

[man 6] This is it,

one more game

and that's it for Upton Park.

[commentator] Tonight,

we're at the Boleyn ground,

which has hosted so many famous

cup games in its 112 years.

Tonight, West Ham face

Manchester United

in the FA Cup

quarterfinal replay.

The pub's gone. Hello, mate,

alright? Where's the pub gone?

Two years?

That's a liberty.

There's a f***ing Tesco's!

The pub! Unbelievable.

What was it called,

the Green Gate, that was called?

Nothing's sacred any more.

In the players' bit here,

Joe, we kid our way in.

We ain't supposed to come

in here.

We just fanny our way in

all the time.

Cheers, Jeff.

- Where do you want?

- Up the end.

Why don't you put it there

so the Man United coach

can't come in?

[laughter]

We've got to go see Kim first.

[whistles]

Alright. Come on, boys.

Good evening.

- How are you?

- I'm very well, thank you.

Good girl.

Alright?

You OK?

[clears throat]

Hello. You alright?

- How are you, Kim?

- Fine, thank you.

Here you are, my darling.

- You alright?

- Yeah. You?

- Yeah.

- What you been up to?

- Busy day.

- Yeah, I bet it is.

Fancy us tonight?

You fancy us tonight?

You're going

to let them get a goal?

Don't let them score.

Alright, babe,

I'll see you later.

Over Land and Sea, today's

issue, Over Land and Sea.

Only last few left today.

Last few left.

[jeering]

[man] It's the last

FA Cup game at Upton Park,

the Boleyn ground,

under lights.

We're playing well.

If we play as well as we played

against Arsenal,

there's no reason

why we can't win this game,

and even if it goes

to penalties, I fancy us.

So, you know, I just think

that there's something special

about this squad of players.

7-1, 11-5. Rooney's playing

tonight, ain't he?

I'm gonna have a little Marky

Noble to score. 5-1, Mark Noble.

- Hello, Mr. Chairman.

- Hi.

- How are you?

- I'm good. How are you?

- Two-nil, Mr. Chairman.

- Is that what you fancy?

- I fancy that.

- Let's hope you're right.

When I was a kid, the old south

end, nine times out of ten,

I'd sit over in the corner.

All the lunatics

would be up this end,

all the proper big boys.

A little firm would sit there

or stand most of the game

and give it

to the away supporters.

Going to miss it,

going to miss this immensely.

So, I'm bringing all the kids.

I'm bringing my grandchild

who'll be probably about 12

weeks old. He's got be blooded.

He's got to be here for the last

game ever at the Boleyn ground.

Wife, kids, we're all West Ham

and they're going to be here.

Ain't just about the football

that day, you know?

It's about this,

about where I'm from,

this is our manor,

where we're from.

[David] My earliest

memories was at Green Street,

growing up in Green Street.

When you look over there,

there is where we used

to play cards in the house.

By the bus stop.

Yeah, and you can see

the bus stop.

And that's right by there, yeah.

And that's 442 Green Street,

where I was brought up.

When you look at that,

that's the past.

That's the past,

or the beginning,

whatever way you look at it.

Here we are standing here now...

is the present

and then we look over there

at the Olympic Stadium

and there's the future.

That's very good, I like that.

- I knew you'd like that.

- I do like that.

Yeah, the past, the present

and the future.

Brilliant.

[chanting]

[commentator] West Ham haven't

lost a game here since August.

They may be leaving Upton Park,

but not until they've turned it

into a fortress.

[David] I am emotional,

I am desperate to win the game

because the last FA Cup game

at Upton Park,

it would be fantastic

if we would go out as winners.

[Ray] I feel we have a chance,

a really good fighting chance.

It might be that night

we just pull it off, you know.

You're going to win.

[Ray] And don't fear anyone.

As long as they go out

and do their business,

they should beat them.

[singing

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"]

West Ham United.

In goal, number one,

Darren Randolph.

I think this is the biggest game

so far this season.

No.27, we've got Dimitri Payet!

Come on, you Irons!

[whistle]

[singing

"I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"]

Oh, unlucky, son.

[cheering]

I'd like to see that again.

He jumped to him.

Oh, no, no.

[Ray groans]

Oh, leave me alone.

Leave me alone.

They're getting torn apart.

Absolutely torn apart.

[wild cheering]

[wild cheering]

Oh, no!

When are they ever gonna

give us anything?

All the f***ing people

in the boxes... don't do that.

[sighs] That's it, I think.

[final whistle]

Sh*t.

[indistinct]

Probably. The problem is,

it's no good to us.

And they probably do.

And like our dreams,

they fade and die.

- Oh, Ray. Don't say that.

- It's that song, mate.

- That's what it is.

- I know.

[reporter] Is the fear now

that the season

could fizzle out a little bit

and players

might not be as motivated?

[Slaven] We are still big time

in the competition for Europe,

and we want to finish

as high as possible.

Of course, this is going to...

It's a huge disappointment

tonight.

It's going to affect us,

but we have to come together

and stick and bounce back.

And make no mistake,

we're going to do it.

5 today, scarves.

[Slaven] The biggest positive

thing around and about West Ham

is that it is a club

like one big family.

- Good morning.

- How are you?

Good, good. Is Steve back?

Oh, you're there!

Oh, you're back.

How are you?

How are you doing? Morning.

[Slaven] Every morning to shake

hands with every player

and the person

who is with the club.

It helps in creating that bond.

[Mark] And it's a bit

of communication

without actually having

to speak to someone,

shake the managers',

the coaches' hands.

It takes me 20 minutes,

I shake the chefs' hands and...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes