Birthday boy of the month: Frank Saborowski is 65

The very fast and untiring fair-haired player worked his way up with great ambition and hard-working training within a short time developing from an unknown amateur player with Oberhausen club VfB Lohberg into a reliable professional footballer. He came to the attention of Bundesliga club MSV Duisburg and they signed Frank Saborowski for the 1979/80 season. The newcomer played in 21 Bundesliga games that season and he went on to make a total of 72 Bundesliga appearances for the Zebras. In 1981/82, he played his part in helping MSV Duisburg avoid relegation. At the same time, he played a big part in Bayer 04 Leverkusen parting company with promotion coach Willibert Kremer. 14 November 1981 saw the relegation clash at the Wedau Stadium between bottom teams MSV Duisburg and Bayer 04. A great encounter developed in front of 13,000 spectators with chances for both sides. After Duisburg went 2-0 up, Peter Hermann pulled a goal back on 81 minutes. In the final minutes there was only one team attacking and that was Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Peter Hermann crosses the ball into the middle in added time, Peter Klimke controls the ball – and Frank Saborowski clears from behind the line with his hand. The referee points to the penalty spot. But then the linesman got involved. And he did not say that the ball was already behind the line and that a goal should be awarded. No, he said everything was in order. So the referee changes his penalty decision, it is only a corner for Bayer 04. He blew the final whistle just after the corner was taken. The vehement protests from the Leverkusen players was met by both the referee and the linesmen with stoic calm.

Six months later, Sabo moves under the Bayer Cross and works his way into the team as a man marker and full-back. Between August 1982 and February 1984, he makes 41 Bundesliga appearances but is then hit by a severe injury: He breaks his leg in training. Bayer 04 extend his contract by 12 months to give him a chance to fight his way back into the team. But he never plays for the Werkself again. In January 1985, Sabo joins VfL Bochum for the Rückrunde but only plays five games. He returns to MSV Duisburg in the second division in the summer of 1985. However, he is unable to prevent relegation to the third division. The Zebras are bottom by a long way. Via Rot-Weiss Essen and VfB Langenfeld he ends up at FC Bocholt. Here Sabo is in the dugout for the first time as assistant coach but he still plays ten games. He does his first coaching badge and works initially as assistant coach at teams including Wattenscheid 09 and LR Ahlen. At Ahlen he becomes head coach of the U 23 team and from 2004 he was responsible for the first teams at a range of smaller clubs including VfB Lohberg and Glückauf Möllen. Today he is the head coach of the U16 team at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.

Dear Sabo, many happy returns on your 65th birthday. Enjoy your big day and stay healthy.