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1.04.2025Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month 1: Willi Korth turns 70

Willi Korth was born in Essen on 12 April 1955. He was a youth player at TuS Essen 81. After coming to the attention of Schwarz Weiss Essen, he signed for them in the Bundesliga 2 North for the 1977/78 season. He made 24 appearances and scored one goal. The Black and Whites from Essen were relegated at the end of the season.
Willi Korth

Willi Korth moved under the Bayer Cross for the 1978/79 season. In his first year at Leverkusen he was part of the Bundesliga promotion team but only made seven appearances as a substitute. It was even worse for him in his second season at the Werkself. He didn't play a single minute for Bayer 04 in the first campaign in the Bundesliga. So Korth decided to return to Essen.

He remained true to Essen from 1980 to 1991 and was a crowd favourite as defender. When he started his long runs he was greeted with a drawn out cry of ‘Williiiiiiii’ at the Uhlenkrug Stadium. In 2008 Willi Korth was voted into the all-time Oberliga team of the last 30 years at Schwarz-Weiß and even now he is an ETB legend.

After his playing career ended, Willi stayed at his ETB (Essener Turnerbund Schwarz-Weiß e.V.) as head of the Uhlenkrug commercial company and as a board member before he had to retire due to health reasons.

Dear Willi, I wish you all the best on your 70th birthday. Enjoy the celebrations and remain fit and healthy.

 

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