A potted history of the TFFC in the form of seasonal milestones
1965/68 - The Club's history starts when a group of friends meet every Sunday morning for kick-abouts at Princes Park, a small area of parkland in Temple Fortune, NW11. The youngsters play on a sloping pitch behind one of the tennis courts, using conveniently placed trees as goal-posts.
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1968/69 - Around the autumn of 1968, a few members of the group split away to start up a team named Princes Park. On 28th December 1968, on a cold winter's afternoon outside No.1 Oakfields Road, NW11, four other players, namely Michael Rook, Robert Silverstone and brothers Nigel and Peter Kyte, decide to form their own team. Unable to use the obvious name of Princes Park, the young foursome call the new side Temple Fortune Town. 1969/71 - TFT, as the team was affectionally known, take part in small-sided matches to begin with.
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1970/71 - The first 11-a-side match is played on Sunday 25th October 1970 at Hampstead Heath, where TFT beat Princes Park Juniors by 12-4. In 1971, the name is shortened to just Temple Fortune and a set of yellow shirts is bought from Pullens of Temple Fortune Parade for only £14!
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1972/73 - Temple Fortune continue to play the occasional friendly match but towards the end of the 1972/73 season (which featured the very first newsletter), the idea is for the Club to progress into proper league football. In June 1973, founders Nigel and Peter Kyte, joined by brothers David and Jeremy Lobl, hold a meeting to decide whether or not the team should join the Maccabi (Southern) Football League for season 1973-74. A split vote defeats the proposal just prior to the M(S)FL's Annual General Meeting, as covered in a special handbook produced for season 1973/74.
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1973/75 - Because of this setback, Temple Fortune fall into a decline which sees the Club stagnate for a couple of years, playing very few proper matches. Peter Kyte leaves to play M(S)FL football for Athletico Neasden but his brother keeps the Club going, reverting to mainly small-sided games.
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1975/76 - On 18th February 1976, the Club is revived at a meeting by the forming of a new Management Committee. Peter Kyte returns to the Club after his spell with Athletico Neasden. Temple Fortune complete the 1975-76 season by playing five friendlies, three of them against existing M(S)FL teams. Winning four and drawing one, this encouraging start paves the way towards a successful application being submitted to join the M(S)FL for the '76/77 season. At the Club's first AGM at the Alyth Youth Club in Temple Fortune, Nigel Kyte is elected as Chairman, whilst Peter Kyte takes on the role of General Secretary. Affiliating to the London Football Association, Temple Fortune purchase a new green and white kit and are allocated Parliament Hill Playing Fields for home matches in the inaugural league season.
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1976/77 - The first historic M(S)FL match is played on Sunday 5th September 1976 against fellow-newcomers Bushey United. Temple Fortune, managed by Michael Rook and sporting green and white vertical striped shirts, green shorts and green socks, lose narrowly by the odd goal in seven in Watford, a match watched by M(S)FL Chairman David Wolff. Temple Fortune go on to finish the debutant season in 7th out of 13 teams.
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1977/78 - In the next season, the Club are allocated its first Barnet Council home venue at West Hendon Playing Fields, staying there for five years.
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1978/79 - Temple Fortune gains its first promotion, going up from Division Two in fourth place.
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1979/80 - TFFC quickly progress sufficiently enough to be able to form a Second XI which enters the M(S)FL.
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1980/81 - The First XI enjoy another promotion, this time climbing into the Premier Division for the first time, eventually spending three seasons there. The Firsts also reach the semi-final of the Peter Morrison trophy Southern Zone, losing just 2-1 to Maccabi football 'giants' MAL, the evenual National winners.
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1981/82 - Further progress is made in the Peter Morrison Trophy as Temple Fortune's First XI go one better to reach the Southern Zone Final, losing to Marshside at Wingate's Arkley ground. In the semi-final, 'little' Fortune shock favourites Kenton Maccabi 2-1, one of the biggest shocks in Maccabi football ever. "Like Lincoln beating Liverpool" exclaims Chairman Nigel Kyte at the time! Gary Hyams is named M(S)FL Footballer of the Year (Premier Division), the League's top individual players' honour.
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1982/83 - The Club moves to a new home venue, this time at Bethune Park in Friern Barnet where both teams have use of a large flat pitch within a fenced-off running track. The Second XI gain promotion for the first time, elevating into Division Two.
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1983/84 - A Temple Fortune team revert to yellow shirts for the first time since the original shirts were purchased in 1971. Between 1976 and 1983, various colours had been used by the Fortune sides. (The Club goes on to adopt yellow shirts and red shorts as its traditional colours from the mid-eighties onwards, and has kept up this identity to the present day.)
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1984/85 - Most of the ageing First XI squad walk out midway through the season, leaving mainly Second teamers to complete both set of fixtures. On one particular Sunday, the predominently Second Team have to fulfil a 1st XI cup tie against Marshside and then rush to Cassiobury Park to represent the Seconds in a league fixture v Bushey! The games are lost by 17-1 and 10-2 respectively! However, both teams remain intact after an immensely arduous season of struggle but the Firsts and Seconds suffer relegation. Ralph Epstein sadly passes away and the first Memorial Trophy fixture in his name is held between Temple Fortune and Bushey United.
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1985/86 - Temple Fortune enjoy a wonderful revival with the highlight being the winning of the Second Division championship after a record-breaking season by the new-look First XI who score over 100 goals in 20 league fixtures, winning 17. Steve Levy smashes the individual goalscoring record in one season by netting 46 goals (previous best 34 by Steve Hyams in 1979/80). Steve Feiger is close behind on 43. The Ralph Epstein Memorial Trophy is also won for the first time as Fortune beat Bushey united 7-6. Henry Charles wins the M(S)FL Second Division Player of the Year award.
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1987/88 - The First XI return to the Premier Division for another 3-year spell, by finishing runners-up in Division One.
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1989/90 - The Second XI finish 7th out of nine teams in Division 2 and are controversially PROMOTED to the First Division by the League's Committee, a calamitous error against the Club's express wishes which eventually leads to the demise of the Seconds.
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1990/91 - Demotion from M(S)FL's top flight signals the start of another period of decline for the First XI. Worse is to follow as the Second XI's envisaged season of struggle becomes reality, ending in a predicted relegation from Div.1 With a severely weakened squad, the Club are forced to fold its Second side in June 1991 season. The only highlight of a miserable season is a 22-0 victory by the First XI against Elstree Eagles, the Club's all-time record win.
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1993/94 - As part of TFFC's Silver Anniversary celebrations in 1993, the Club hold two 'past v present' matches at Bethune Park. Such is the success of these commemorative games, an Old Boys XI is set up in June 1994 with Tony Espinoza being elected to run the new side. The plan is for the Old Boys to play once a month, amounting to around 9 or 10 games a season - the concept is very successful for several years to follow.
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1997/98 - The Second XI are revived after a six-year absence and spend the whole season playing friendlies with a view to entering the M(S)FL in the following season. The Club is allocated Childs Hill Park as a second home venue, which is used by the First Team. The newly formed Seconds play at Bethune Park but are forced to leave midway through the season due to the dressing rooms being badly vandalised. The 2nd XI play out the rest of the season at West Hendon Playing Fields instead, a return there for the first time since 1982.
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1998/99 - Rejoining the M(S)FL for the first time since 1990/91, the Second XI win promotion from Division Five (which is the 2nd XI's third promotion and the Club's 9th promotion in all). To put the icing on the cake, the Second Team also win the M(S)FL's prestigious Ron Saunders Sportsmanship/Turnout Memorial Trophy, a fitting testimony for the typical excellent organisation traditionally enjoyed by the Club in general.
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1999/00 - During the summer of '99, Temple Fortune become founder members of the Maccabi Masters Football League, having been the pioneers of Jewish Old Boys football since 1993. Temple Fortune Old Boys take part in MMFL football for the first time on 17th October 1999. Peter Kyte, one of the original Founders, plays in his 500th match for the Club. With three teams currently in league football, TFFC will enter the Millennium having never been bigger or better run .
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2000/01 - Temple Fortune celebrate 25 years as members of the Maccabi (Southern) Football League. The Club's very own newsletter, The Fortune News, also commemorates its Silver Anniversary – having been produced on a regular basis every season since 1976 – and is produced on the Club's first official internet website.
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2001/02 - The First XI return to the Second Division after a few years in the Third, thanks to the Club's tenth promotion since first joining the M(S)FL in 1976.
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2002/03 - The Second XI overcome 7 straight defeats in the opening 7 fixtures to finish 4th in Division 4, the Club's finest season of recovery yet. Jack Kyte, father of co-founders Nigel and Peter and the Club's photographer for many years, passes away on 16th February 2003, aged 82 years old. TFFC's 20th annual Club Dinner is held in Whetstone.
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2003/04 - Just like 13 years previously in 1990/91, it's a deja vu feeling as both teams face relegation, with a decision taken to fold the Second XI (for the second time). The Club decides to enter the one remaining MSFL team into Division 4, Temple Fortune's lowest ever MSFL status for the First XI. West Hendon Playing Fields is dropped as a home venue, the Club opting to stay at Childs Hill Park. The Old Boys XI complete an arduous season for the Club by finishing as runners-up in the new Masters League Second Division.
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2004/05 - Temple Fortune's lone MSFL team – a mixture of former First XI and Second XI players – take third place in Division 4, and gain promotion to the Third Division. The team also reaches the Final of the MSFL Minor Invitation Cup, the Club's first cup final for 23 years, but lose to FC Heath at Wingate & Finchley FC.
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2005/06 - The Club hires a new venue at Whitchurch Playing Fields in Stanmore (under Harrow Council), moving out of the London Borough of Barnet for the first time since 1977. Season 2005/06 is Temple Fortune's 30th consecutive campaign in the Maccabi (Southern) Football League.
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| 2006/07 - TFFC commemorates 30 years since playing the inaugural league match by holding a Gala Morning at Hillingdon Borough FC. The Club reverts to the original league colours of green and white. Both teams are kitted out splendidly, with new navy training tops also being worn for the first time. The First XI move to Hatch End Playing Fields because Whitchurch is taken over for schools use. The Old Boys are runners-up in the Masters League Second Division whilst the Firsts miss out on second place in MSFL Div.2 on goal difference but are promoted nevertheless. On behalf of the Club, Chairman Nigel Kyte wins the Jack Wolff Memorial Trophy for the M(S)FL Team Secretary of the Year. |
| 2007/08 - Season number 32 in Maccabi football – Temple Fortune remain the longest running Club currently in the M(S)FL. Towards the end of the season the Club decides to run three teams for the 2008/09 season, with two in the Masters League for the first time. |
| 2008/09 - Nick Waitsman becomes the Club's first Vice-Chairman to mark 20 years on the Management Committee and 10 seasons as Old Boys manager. The Club celebrates 40 years in existance by holding a tournament at Princes Park on 28th December 2008, exactly 40 years to the day since the Club's formation! |
| 2009/10 – The Club decides to fold one Old Boys team and reverts back to running two teams, one in the MSFL and the other in the MMFL. Both teams take part in TFFC's 34th season of involvement in Maccabi football. |
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