Back
1.01.2025Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month 2: Thomas Zechel turns 60

Thomas ‘Atze’ Zechel was born in West Berlin on 25 January 1965. He took his first steps with a football at his feet at the local Berlin club Rapide Wedding. He moved from the Black and Yellows to the U17 team of my youth team, Blau-Weiß 90 Berlin. He came to the attention of Reiner Calmund in the youth state cup in Duisburg in 1982 playing for the Berlin team.

Display videos

Yes, I'd like to see videos dispalyed.

Calli brought Atze to Leverkusen in his second year as a U19 player. Together with his future teammates, the Bayer 04 youth players Manfred Pomp and Frank Glaß, he was a runner-up at the 1982 youth European Championships with the U16 national team. He stepped up to the Werkself Bundesliga squad after a year in the Bayer 04 youth teams. Playing behind the strike partners Bum-kun Cha and Herbert Waas, he was the third player in attack under his patron Dettmar Cramer and he played ten games in his first year in the Bundesliga. His first Bundesliga goal was an equaliser at 1-1 in the away game at VfB Stuttgart on matchday 25. He played more for the Bayer 04 Reserves in his second season. That was because Bum-kun Cha and Herbert Waas were joined up front by new signing Christian Schreier and centre-forward Falko Götz, who was entitled to play for the Werkself from November 1984 a year after fleeing from the GDR. The competition in attack was too much.

When Erich Ribbeck took over as coach of the Bayer 04 team in the summer of 1985, he turned the two central strikers Christian Schreier and Falko Götz into a defensive and an offensive midfielder respectively. He also succeeded in turning Atze into a right-back. From matchday eight the right side of the Werkself was: right-back Thomas Zechel, right defensive midfielder Christian Schreier, right attacking midfielder Falko Götz. Coach Erich Ribbeck turned three centre-forwards into a really dangerous attacking right side. Bayer 04 finished in a UEFA Cup spot for the first time at the end of the season. Atze played a big part in that. He played in 29 games and scored five goals.

Thomas Zechel

After a middling next season with just 20 appearances, he had even less minutes on the pitch in the UEFA Cup season 1987/88 and he suffered more injuries. Nevertheless, the UEFA Cup trophy with Bayer 04 was his biggest sporting success. In his six years at Leverkusen, Atze made 77 appearances and scored six goals for the Werkself.

From 1988 he changed clubs every year. From Hannover via Waldhof Mannheim to Schalke 04 – those were his next clubs. His coach at Schalke was Peter Neururer who signed him for FC Saarbrücken in 1991. He became a first-team regular there in the next two years and gained promotion to the Bundesliga with the Saarland team who were then relegated again a year later. Thomas Zechel ended his professional playing career after a less than satisfying 1993/94 season.

He liked Saarland so much that he settled there with his wife. He played for and coached lower league teams in Saarland. In addition, the father of a daughter opened a garage, which was soon his main profession. Today he is the boss of his own firm that mainly deals with the preparation of ambulances.

Dear Atze, all the best, above all stay healthy, on your 60th. Have a great time and enjoyed the day.

Related News

Christoph Daum – Der Mann, der uns das Wollen beibrachte | Legende des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Legend: Christoph Daum - The man who taught us to want

Christoph Daum was born on 24 October 1953 in Zwickau. As a child, he moved to West Germany with his mother and grew up in Duisburg. He developed a great enthusiasm for football at an early age, even though it soon became clear that his future lay less on the pitch than on the sidelines. Even at a young age, his passion for analysing, explaining and improving things became apparent.

Show more
Horst Stollenwerk im Februar 1961
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

From the archives: 65 years ago - Another victory at last

When the Bayer 04 players celebrated Christmas in 1960, they spent the winter in second place in the Oberliga West 2 on 20 points - but already five points behind leaders Schwarz-Weiß Essen. However, coach Erich Garske's team are struggling to get back on track in the new year. A goalless draw against Bonner FV at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium was followed by a 2-1 away defeat in Erkenschwick. The following home game also yielded just one point. As a result, the team's promotion ambitions dwindled to a minimum, as the gap to the coveted spot has now grown to a challenging ten points.

Show more
Von Waas bis Tapsoba | Tore des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Goals of the month: From Waas to Tapsoba

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

Show more
Vor 20 Jahren – Das Spiel der offenen Tore | Spiel des Monats Februar
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Match of the month: 20 years ago - A game of goals galore

It is 11 February 2006 and Schalke 04 and the Werkself kick off at 3.30 p.m. in a match that ends up being historic - at least from a Bayer 04 perspective.

Show more
Paul Wiorek im Februar 1951
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

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

As league leaders, the Werkself welcomed the relegation-threatened team from Rhenania Würselen. On 4 February 1951, 5,000 spectators line the touchlines despite the Sunday carnival parades. And they see a home team that is superior on the pitch. Without Theo Kirchberg, who was ill, and Emil Becks, who was suspended, the hosts attacked the opposing goal from the start. Battling against a strong wind in the first half, Bayer 04 created chance after chance, but were repeatedly thwarted by the Würselen goalkeeper. With the score at 0-0 at half-time, Karl Heinz Spikofski tried his luck on 55 minutes and hammered the ball into the opposition net from 20 metres out. Rhenania can no longer counterattack. The siege of the Würselen penalty area continued right to the end, but the game ended in a narrow 1-0 win.

Show more