Back
1.02.2025Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month 1: Andreas Neuendorf turns 50

Andreas ‘Zecke’ Neuendorf was born in Berlin on 9 February 1975. He spends his childhood in the southern district of Steglitz and in his youth he plays for Stern 1900, Blau-Weiß 90, BFC Preußen and the Reinickendorfer Füchse where he also makes his debut for the senior team.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

Reiner Calmund brings him to Bayer 04 in 1994. When he comes into the Bayer dressing room for the first time as a brand-new professional player and seeks out a place in front of a locker we say to him: "Lad, you can't sit there, that's Bernd Schuster's place!" Andreas provides a cheeky response and with his Berlin lip says: "Then he'll have to find a new place to sit!"

At his first training camp in 1994 he is the first and also only one I know who orders 'cola' at lunch and shows everybody else in the squad that he's doing his own thing. The combative and hard-running midfielder only makes five Bundesliga appearances in his first season but his cheeky approach to every training session shows why Calli brought him to Leverkusen.

how the nickname 'Zecke' came about

A year later, Andreas is bitten by a tick when he goes for a run in the forest. He spends three days in hospital due to blood poisoning and then he is welcomed back to the team by Ulf Kirsten and called 'Zecke' (tick). Since then everybody just calls him Zecke.

In three and a half years from 1994 to December 1997 he only makes 44 appearances the Werkself but he is a very important part of the Bayer dressing room with his jocular manner. After a contract extension at Bayer 04 he goes out on loan to Hertha in his home town of Berlin in January 1998.

After two and a half years at Hertha, Reiner Calmund gets him to return to Bayer 04. He reluctantly follows the call under the Cross and is thereby one of very few players who have found their way to Leverkusen twice.

 

Andreas Neuendorf

After a disappointing year for him and just seven games for the Black and Reds he returns to Hertha Berlin and is happy to play in his hometown for the next six years. In his first training session, the Berlin kit man provides him with a training top with his nickname Zecke on it as a joke. That gives him the idea of following the Brazilians and having his own nom de plume printed on his shirt for Bundesliga matches but the DFB put a stop to that. Only the name on your ID is allowed on shirts. That takes him to the Berlin passport office. There he can only have his nom de plume of Zecke entered on his ID card if he really is an artist. He takes the tip from the official seriously: "Just go and paint a few pictures and sell them!" So, Zecke picks up paint and brushes, paints lines, circles and squares on his watercolour block and gives it the title of 'Sad face'. And because he doesn't have anything to clean the brushes with he just uses another sheet and gives it the title of 'Scribble'. The pictures are auctioned for a good cause. And that is enough to see him recognised as an artist and allows his nom de plume to be entered in his ID and from the 2002/2003 season he has that name printed on his shirt.

crazy hair, snappy patter

From 2001 to 2007 he becomes a crowd favourite with Hertha fans with his style of play, his down-to-earth manner and is at times crazy hairdos and snappy patter.

The 32-year-old joins FC Ingolstadt in the Regional League South the 2007/2008 season. He is promoted to Bundesliga 2 with the Bavarians and then relegated again. After three years his yearning for his home town is again too much. He rejoins Hertha Berlin but mainly plays for the reserves in the last four years of his career before moving on to be a coach. At BSC Preußen he wins the state league championship straightaway. After a year with senior teams he moves on to the youth set-up at his favourite club.

From 2015 he coached different Hertha youth teams, became the head coach of the U23s and in 2021 he was assistant coach alongside Pal Dardai with the Hertha first team. In November 2021 he and the head coach are let go but since January 2023 the club legend Andreas 'Zecke' Neuendorf together with Benjamin Weber has been in charge of the sporting side of the second tier club.

Dear Zecke, many happy returns on your 50th! Stay as you are and above all remain healthy. Enjoy your birthday!

 

Related News

Franca wird 50 | Geburtstagskind des Monats März
Bayer 04 - 01.03.2026

Birthday boy of the month: Franca turns 50

Francoaldo Sena de Souza, known as Franca, was born on 2 March 1976 in Codó in north-eastern Brazil and is one of the best-known Brazilian football players of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His exceptional talent became apparent early on. He began his career at smaller Brazilian clubs before moving to the tradition-steeped São Paulo FC in 1996. There, Franca quickly developed into one of the most dangerous strikers in the league. His technique, goal-scoring instinct and agility delighted fans and pundits alike, and he scored numerous goals for the club over the years.

Show more
Lars Bender – Der Bayer beim Bayer | Legende des Monats März
Bayer 04 - 01.03.2026

Legends: Lars Bender - The Bavarian at Bayer 04

Lars Bender was born on 27 April 1989 in Rosenheim and grew up with his twin brother Sven in a football-loving family. They began playing football in Brannenburg, a small community near Rosenheim. The twins joined Unterhaching to play for the U11 side, followed by a move to the U14s at 1860 Munich. There, Lars and Sven became German champions with the U17s, skipped the Lion's U19s and were directly part of the 1860 Munich first and second team squads.

Show more
Von Bruckmann bis Schick | Tore des Monats März
Bayer 04 - 01.03.2026

Goals of the month: From Bruckmann to Schick

In this video you can see impressive and important goals in Bayer 04 history from the month of March . It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.

Show more
Vor 45 Jahren – Ein Sieg muss her | Spiel des Monats März
Bayer 04 - 01.03.2026

Match of the month: 45 years ago - A victory is needed

Bayer 04 had their backs to the wall after a 3-1 defeat in a rearranged match at FC Kaiserslautern on 17 March 1981. After a throw-in, which the linesman clearly indicated in favour of the Werkself, but which the Lauter team quickly took and the weak referee did not intervene, a dubious penalty was awarded. Lauter took advantage of this to make it 2-1 in the 84th minute. Finally, a shot by the home side, which did not cross the line, made it 3-1 and Bayer 04 had to go home from Betzenberg without any points.

Show more
crop_19510304_Bayer04_SSV_Wuppertal_07.jpg
Bayer 04 - 01.03.2026

History: 75 years ago - The 1950/51 season (March)

It was 4 March 1951 and Bayer 04 were five points ahead going into the decisive home game against second-placed SSV Wuppertal, who would merge with TSG Vohwinkel 80 to form Wuppertaler SV three years later. Bayer 04 press officer Heinz Nelles predicted a big matchday at the sports ground at the Stadtpark and recommends Bayer 04 fans to buy their tickets in advance from the usual ticket outlets, especially from Peter Haas at the Trinkhalle Rathaus. After a four-week injury lay-off, centre-forward Emil ‘Bubi’ Becks will be back for the first time. And when the gates to the Stadtpark are opened on Sunday, the spectators stream into the stadium. The windows of the houses on the neighbouring Walter-Nernst-Straße are also packed.

Show more