Temple Fortune FC celebrate 45th anniversary

Temple Fortune Football Club celebrated its 45th anniversary on Sunday – by holding a four-a-side tournament.

Held at Princes Park, the morning proved to be a sentimental occasion, particularly for Nigel and Peter Kyte to be back playing on that famous sloping patch.

The six group games brought 36 goals, with the second team topping the table thanks to three wins. The Old Boys, who thrashed the First team 5–0, finished in second, while the unlucky Founders’ team, despite running their opponents very close in their first two fixtures, fell apart in their final game to finish bottom, repeating their fate of five years previously.

In the final, the Old Boys team, consisting of Jonathan Dubiner, Andy Montlake, James Ryan and Hilton Teper, defeated the seconds 8–3 – avenging the 3–0 defeat to the same opposition in the group game played earlier.

Jonathan Dubiner, Rob Jay and Andy Montlake shared the top scorers’ mantle with eight goals apiece, whilst Hilton Teper was an unlikely goalkeeping star with some excellent saves. Tony Espinoza too defended superbly, making several last-ditch sliding tackles.

Save-of-the-Match came virtue of Andy Montlake’s chest when he kept out an absolute rocket – and he didn’t flinch a muscle in doing so! The Club’s all-time leading goalscorer, Steve Feiger, bemoaned his bad luck (and the referee’s eyesight) as he had two goals disallowed, hit the post twice and also missed a penalty!

David Wolff handed out the engraved medals to all the participants, followed by presenting the Jack Kyte Challenge Cup to Andy Montlake, the victorious Old Boys ‘skipper’.

Mike Shorvon and David were given commemorative medals too as everyone went home with an award as a memento of the special occasion.

“It was great to be back at the very place TFFC was born. Seeing football being played amongst the trees again was like winding back the clock… my brother and I and the Melzacks played hundreds of games here in our teens,” commented Nigel Kyte, who organised the event.

“I was delighted that, just like the 2008 tournament, we were blessed with weather as good as it could have been at this time of the year. And also that everyone enjoyed themselves, which is what the event was all about.”

He added: “Once again this has been an extremely appropriate way to celebrate our 45th birthday and my thanks go to everyone who took part.”