Renno started his playing career at VfB 03 Bielefeld and went on to play in goal for Arminia Bielefeld for many years. He joined Leverkusen in the 1963/64 season and was quickly established as the number one keeper. In the team, that became champions of the second-tier Regional League West under coach Theo Kirchberg in 1968, Renno was captain but he only played in two games against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and Westfalia Herne as the number two to Hans Benzler.
However, in that season where Bayer 04 just missed out in the knockout rounds for promotion to the Bundesliga to Kickers Offenbach was one of the best memories for Renno. "There was a really special team spirit in the group which kept us going alongside all the quality on the pitch," he later said looking back at that time.
Renno ended his playing career in 1969 after making 81 Regional League appearances for the Werkself and he then went on to take charge of the Bayer 04 U19 team. In the 1973/74 season he took charge of the first team after four matchdays in place of Gero Bisanz with the club in the fifth tier Middle Rhine League. That means Friedhelm Renno is one of the men in the history of Bayer 04 who have been with the Werkself both as a player and as a coach alongside Theo Kirchberg, Gerd Kentschke, Jürgen Gelsdorf, Peter Hermann, Rudi Völler, Thomas Hörster, Sami Hyypiä and Heiko Herrlich.
Friedhelm Renno remained committed to his club to the end. Whether meeting with former teammates from the 1960s in the TSV sports bar Gäßler or, above all, as a representative of the football section on the elders council of the whole club. Bayer 04 was very close to his heart. He also saw himself as a guardian of the club's history as a passionate collector of newspaper articles and photos from the past. Renno organised anniversary events, special seats for former players at the BayArena and he was a regular at home games for many years. "He was the good soul of our old gentleman," said goalkeeping legend Rüdiger Vollborn.
Friedhelm Renno was unable to take part in the last meeting of the 1968 championship winning side in October of last year at the Wolfsburg match due to illness. He passed away yesterday at the age of 82. Bayer 04 pay tribute to him.
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A group of journalists representing Latin American and Spanish-language media outlets visited the BayArena on Thursday for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Bayer 04 and interviews with key personnel that have driven the team’s brand to new heights internationally over the last few years.
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