Interview: Paul Crompton, director of new West Ham documentary Iron Men

The National Student

With West Ham United having moved from their beloved Boleyn Ground to the new Olympic Stadium, Paul Crompton delved into the essence of the club in the making of his new documentary Iron Men, speaking to the captain, the owner, and most importantly, the club’s passionate fans. 

Being such a historic club, there was a lot to talk about - and when I asked Paul which side of it he particularly enjoyed capturing, he replied with 'the fans'. He said their passion could really be felt throughout, along with their desire to support their club no matter what. Also key were the moments that wouldn’t be captured again, such as the last match at the Boleyn Ground, against Manchester United. 

The making of Iron Men wasn’t without challenges and the greatest amongst these, Paul said, was getting the cameras into the ground on match days. "Due to television rights, it was pretty tough," he told us. Then once they were inside, was the challenge of maintaining the “fly on the wall” feel, to blend into the press while maintaining the intimacy the documentary needed. 

Whilst there were challenges in filming, the biggest obstacle was the fact that, as a result of this being an independent feature, there was still the matter of who distributed Iron Men. Previously, there have been deadlines from channels. Now the message of the film needs to be talked about, and spread. It is also important, and challenging, to build and maintain the reputation of a top-notch football film. 

Was Paul’s relationship with West Ham affected by the film? He said that "West Ham were excellent to work with, and they provided huge amounts of access". As a result of the team being the subject, and them knowing little about those doing the feature, Paul said they had to afford a great degree of trust. Which, thankfully, they did. After the film, West Ham checked it and were satisfied with what they saw. 

In regards to the various interviews with fans, players and the chairman, Paul believes that Mark Noble gave the most to the film, especially in regards to its feel. As a result of being a local boy from Canning Town, he has West Ham in his heart. Now, as captain, he holds an immense responsibility in the club’s move. On top of this, he’s a great guy - a person who is "really friendly and incredibly astute". 

As a result of having to portray one of English football’s most history-rich clubs, I wanted to know if Paul felt much pressure. He told me that he "felt pressure to not mess it up, and to not portray the club inaccurately". There was so much that wouldn’t happen again, like that final weekend. This is why they used their “quiet observer” approach, as it allowed a proper feel of the club.

As far as the aim of the film goes, Paul said he wanted to capture the last days of the club, in the ground they had inhabited for more than 100 years, "to capture something that wouldn't happen again".

To Paul "it’s also a reflection of how money is changing football, and a national news story". He wanted to show the story of the club, and the evolution of the game.