Hellmuth Feiger and Jack Kyte were two of the Club's most ardent supporters over the years, attending many Temple Fortune matches season after season.
Hellmuth Feiger, a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, used to attend games inwhich his son Steven participated, covering Steven's three separate stints with the Club. Arsenal season ticket-holder Jack Kyte supported the Club ever since its earliest days, attending a lot of games with his wife Ruth and their numerous boxer dogs. He was the Club's photographer, snapping many pictures over the years. Indeed, whilst this website carries much of his work, there are three times as many of his photographs in store which haven't been used.
Austrian-born Hellmuth passed away on 9th February 2002 after a brave battle against cancer whilst Jack died one year and one week later (16th February 2003) after a sudden illness.
The Club approved two perpetual trophies in memory of these two fine gentlemen who will both be sadly missed. At the Club Dinner in June 2003, Steven Feiger together with his mother Dorlee presented the inaugural Hellmuth Feiger Memorial Shield for the TFFC Achievement Award to Peter Kyte, whilst the Club have arranged annual inter-Club matches for the Jack Kyte Challenge Cup since 2004. Jack's name also appears on the new First Team Player of the Year Cup which was purchased in May 2003.
As far as we know, Alan Mattey is the first former Temple Fortune player who has passed away. Alan courageously fought against cancer for several years, always with a smile on his face and an exuburance for life which was obvious to anyone who met him. A warm, charming guy who was also a very good footballer, Alan Mattey was also a gentleman whom we were very privileged to have play for the Club. Sadly the cancer took his life in 2006.
On 5th January 2015, Ruth Kyte passed away 11 years after Jack, to be at ever-lasting peace with her beloved husband.
On Monday 15th March 2021, Nicholas Waitsman, the Club's Vice-Chairman, passed away after a long battle against cancer. Originally joining the Club in 1987, he spent over 20 years on the TFFC Management Committee and was the Old Boys Team manager for ten seasons.
Other ex-Temple Fortune players that we know have passed away include Russell Vroobel, a tenacious midfielder who played for Fortune during the mid-80s and was a part of the 1985/86 MSFL Division 2 championship-winning team, and Steven Hyams who was the Club's first striker to reach 100 goals during a TFFC career from 1978 to 1984, playing in the Peter Morrison Trophy (Southern Area) Final in 1982.
All of these people are very sadly missed. We thank them for their contribution to TFFC.
