On October 1, 1998, Tokyo was born as the first professional club to have Tokyo as its hometown.
Since the early days of the J-League, when it started with great fanfare, there has been a movement for the predecessor of Tokyo Gas Soccer Club to turn professional. The team, which was strengthening its squad, recruited Amaral from Brazil in the 1992 season. Ryuji Fujiyama, who joined the team as an "employee player" in the same season, signed a professional contract in the 1994 season.
However, after that, we were forced to give up on professionalization. Nevertheless, the team did not stop and continued to grow steadily.
In the 1994 season, they made their first appearance in the Emperor's Cup and advanced to the quarterfinals. They consistently performed well in the Japan Football League (JFL). Encouraged by their good results, they announced their participation in the J-League again in the 1997 season and continued their enthusiastic activities towards professionalization. At the same time, in the Emperor's Cup of this season, they defeated Nagoya Grampus Eight, Yokohama Marinos, and Bellmare Hiratsuka, and reached the semifinals.
They adopted the slogan "A team loved strongly" and in the 1998 JFL season, they surpassed Kawasaki Frontale by 1 point in the final match and unexpectedly won the championship.
The then coach Kiyoshi OKUMA thoroughly emphasized the principles and principles of soccer and a common understanding of winning. In order to make use of Amaral's scoring ability, he stuck to a solid defense and quick counterattacks. Despite their rough play, Sandro and Takayuki KOMINE put their bodies on the line in the final line. The midfield emphasized balance. It is also impressive that Satoru ASARI took the position for a long time, despite acquiring numerous big names as a defensive midfielder.
Even after moving the stage of battle to the J-League, we tried to challenge with a consistent style, leaving many corporate players behind. While respecting Verdy and Jubilo Iwata, we took advantage of the benefits of being a latecomer to the J-League and sometimes used senior teams as a learning opportunity.
"Once on the pitch, it doesn't matter if you're a professional or an amateur" - The 1999 season of the J2 League, where they, who were nothing as professional players, struggled to grasp something.
The opening match against Sagan Tosu was attended by 3,685 spectators at the National Nishigaoka Soccer Stadium. It was a joyous occasion with "3,000 people!" which is now unimaginable, and a heated battle took place.
In the 4th minute, Hayato OKAMOTO, who broke through the defense with Kensuke KAGAMI's through pass, scored a shot that he floated with instant judgment. This goal not only holds the record as the first goal of the J2 League, but it is also a memorable moment that remains in people's memories as the opening of Tokyo. Ace Amaral also scored, and they started with a 2-0 victory, steadily accumulating points in the J2 League.
In their first participation in the Nabisco Cup, they showed a remarkable performance and advanced to the semifinals. They pushed Kashima Antlers to the brink and Yukihiko Sato also won the New Hero Award.
The spirit of giving everything in the current game has materialized, but it can be said that there is still no team strength or margin to balance both cup matches and league matches.
After the Nabisco Cup, starting with a loss to Tosu in the J2 League immediately after the restart, they went on a losing streak. They only earned 3 points in 5 matches. The players were in tears when they lost to Vegalta Sendai before the final match and dropped to 3rd place.
Nevertheless, without anyone saying so, everyone gathered and switched their mindset to "we have no choice but to do what we can do and what we must do." It was this sense of unity and the passion to fight through that led to a dramatic promotion.
On November 24th, in the 36th round, Albirex Niigata played away. Kensuke Kagami scored a long-awaited goal and they won 1-0. On the other hand, Oita Trinita, who were in second place at that time, conceded a free kick by Tatsuma Yoshida from Montedio Yamagata in the 89th minute, leading to extra time. If it ends in a draw, they will only get 1 point, and Tokyo will rise to second place.
It was a time when there was no instant news on the internet, but Masamitsu Kobayashi kept calling his friend in Oita to keep up with the situation. The moment Oita and Yamagata ended in a draw, Takashi Okuhara was the first to run towards the stands from the bench. Supporters jumped down from the stands and a circle of joy was formed. It was a generous era where such behavior was allowed and seen with a smile, embodying the idea that "something will happen if you don't give up."
The team that has caused numerous "dramatic developments" and giant killings has captivated even football enthusiasts (if we may be a bit disrespectful) with their fanaticism.
Always keeping the initial passion in their hearts to be "strongly loved", each member continued to pour their unwavering passion into soccer. There is no doubt that this has laid the foundation for a club worthy of the J1 League.
Time goes around. The scale of the club, the maturity of the team, and the environment surrounding soccer in the world and Japan have changed significantly since then. We are now in an era where we are required to "Think global" and "Act local" alone is not enough to survive.
But there is something that must not be forgotten. Give your all in the upcoming match, never give up until the end - the fighting spirit and passion have lit a flame in people's hearts and given them courage.
Text by Yū Fujiwara (Freelance Writer)
※The team name at the time of the article is written.
【25-year history】Special column is here
Journey of 25 years vol.2: The Road to the First Title
Journey of 25 years vol.3: Blue Tokyo
