WE'LL NEVER DIE ! SAVED !

Cash-strapped former Japanese champions Tokyo Verdy have been thrown a lifeline after signing a sponsorship deal with a sports store chain.

Verdy's five-year deal with Xebio paves the way for the club to continue their business operations in 2011 subject to approval by the J-League.

Verdy, J-League champions in 1993 and 1994, are currently fifth in the second division and pushing for promotion back to the top flight.

The J-League told Reuters on Wednesday that Verdy could receive formal approval after a special board meeting on Oct. 29.

"The board will have to approve Verdy's promotion if they finish inside the top three," the J-League told Reuters. "They will have to meet the J-League's conditions."

Last year Nippon Television Network Corp., which held a 98.8 percent stake in the club, withdrew their financial backing.

"There was no time to wait for a 'white knight' to appear," Verdy President Hideyuki Hanyu told Japan's Nikkan Sports. "After talks with Xebio several companies decided to invest."

The J-League had ordered Verdy to secure sponsorship revenue of at least 540 million yen ($6.62 million) but they failed to do so. Hanyu, however, has outlined an increased budget of 800 million yen.

"If things go to plan we hope to be able to announce a new administration by mid-November," said Hanyu.

Japanese sport has been hit hard by the global financial crisis, which has seen the world's largest carmaker Toyota and Japan's number two manufacturer Honda quit Formula One.

Subaru, Suzuki and Kawasaki have also pulled out of motorsport, while local soccer, rugby and ice hockey have all felt the economic pinch.

FANTASTIC NEWS !

VERDY 4-0 Kitakyushyu

Easy win for the buzzards.
Yoshiuki Takagi, T. Takagi *2 and DF Tsuchiya on the score!

Check out this free kick, enough said:



SAVE OUR VERDY !!!

Up & Down

VERDY 2-0 FC Gifu, Takuma ABE *2

Yokohama FC 3-2 VERDY, Y & T TAKAGI

VERDY 0-0 Tochigi SC

Tokushima 2-3 VERDY, Y TAKAGI *2, T Takagi

Here are the standings:

# Equipe J Df PT
1 Kashiwa Reysol 26 +34 61
2 Ventforet Kofu 26 +20 53
3 Avispa Fukuoka 25 +25 49
4 JEF United 25 +20 42
5 Tokyo Verdy 26 +7 40

Why not ?

Next game on sunday, against Lowly Giravanz... Go for 3 !

Then, Now, Forever VERDY !

Kumamoto 3-2 VERDY

Tough loss at Roasso, 3-2. Youngstars Minami & Takahashi on the score for the Greens.

Next step is Gifu on sunday, at the National Std.

C'mon VERDY !

VERDY 2-1 Sapporo

Another win for the Mighty Buzzards from Chofu, 2-1 against Consadole, Olé !!!
Sapporo strikes first, but midfielder Kikuoka levels up. And true green Hiramoto on a late goal (7th of the year) gives us another 3 pts.
We are trailing JEF United by only 6 points for the 3rd spot...

C'mon VERDY, GREEN POWER !

Hiramoto's goal, view from the stands:

Kashiwa 0-1 VERDY

YEAAAAAAH! Fantastic win for the Green Machine in a really tough place, Kashiwa. A 1-0 win, with DF Seitaro Tomisawa on the score.
A superb defence, with another clean sheet. One of the top defence with only 15 goals in 20 games...
NO VERDY, NO LIFE.

And here are the highlights, enjoy !

Kofu 0-1 VERDY

Terrific win for the Greens in front of 12 000 fans at Kose Park of Kofu.
6th goal of the year by Kazuki Hiramoto on the 31th minute, as we beat Ventforet 0-1.

Next step is a tough one, an away trip to Kashiwa on sunday.

C'mon u Mighty VERDY !