"The work of Heinz Heitmann made an important contribution to Bayer 04 being an established and successful member of the Bundesliga family. We are grateful for his decades of commitment and his close association with the club," said Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO.
Heitmann started working in Leverkusen in 1976 as the youth director and manager at Bayer 04. Shortly after that, he became the managing director of the overall club SV Bayer 04 with its football, boxing, fist ball, and ball and athletics sections. And in 1979, the year of promotion to the Bundesliga, Heitmann took over the post of head and director of the football section at the request of the then president Dr. Jürgen Schwericke.
In Bayer 04's first five years in the Bundesliga, Heinz Heitmann was the general manager responsible for almost everything at the club: Finance and budget planning, contract and transfer negotiations, licensing, stadium administration, pitchside advertising, training camps and much more besides. A man for all seasons who played a big part in the increasing professionalisation of the club structures in the first years in the Bundesliga.
When he ended his time as general manager in 1984, Heitmann carried on working in the Bayer works. Of course, he remained attached to football and Bayer 04. In 1992, he took over the voluntary role of managing the club's Veterans team, which was mainly made up from the promotion side of 1979. "Our work together lasted through the decades and they all remained Bayer lads," Heitmann once said. He led the Veterans team up to 2006 before handing over the reins to Michael Kentschke.
A regular visited to the stands at the BayArena and holder of an honorary season card, Heinz Heitmann watched Werkself home games until recently. He passed away in the night from Wednesday to Thursday at the age of 82.
Flap up, screen on: With the help of the new Bayer 04 tactics truck, training content and match action for the Werkself as well as tactical graphics can now be shown and discussed on the training ground.
Show moreWerkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 1-1 draw against 1. FC Köln on the 19th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2024/25...
Show moreThe Bayer 04 Women shared the points in a 1-1 draw with FC Köln in an entertaining Rhine derby with lots of goalmouth action for both sides. The team led by coach Roberto Pätzold put in a great effort that deserved the three points particularly in the second half. The team next to bottom in the table, who took the lead before half-time, played with great passion and only conceded the equaliser scored by Cornelia Kramer (54') before the final whistle.
Show moreWhere were you on 14 April 2024? – That question will probably be asked a lot in Leverkusen today. And can there be anybody in this city who doesn't have an answer to hand? Hard to imagine. That Sunday exactly a year ago was too special. Too big. Too stirring. Too incredible. Everybody will have their own personal memory of that historic day. As everybody was there somehow. Even those who were unfortunately unable to get a ticket for the game of games against Werder Bremen.
Show moreA year as champions of Germany! To mark this momentous achievement, the Champions Week starts today Monday, 14 April, through to Saturday, 19 April, at the Bayer 04 online shop and the Bayer 04 Fanwelt. Black and Red fans can look forward to lots of new articles celebrating winning the title as well as big discounts.
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