1.08.2025Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month I: Horst Knauf turns 65

Horst Knauf was born in Cologne on 16 August 1960. As a teenager he played for PSV Köln before signing for the Bayer 04 Leverkusen U19s as a talented midfielder in 1976. He made the move up from the second team to the Bundesliga squad in 1980. Over the following three years he played 39 Bundesliga games and scored two goals. Above all in the difficult 1981/82 season for the Werkself with the play-off games against Kickers Offenbach, he played a big part in saving Bayer 04 with 21 appearances. But under the new coach Dettmar Cramer he rarely made a start and he decided to move on.

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a year abroad

In 1983 Horst signed for the Belgian club FC Beringen where he played 31 games and scored 12 goals in a season. After that he returned to Germany and played for KSV Hessen Kassel from 1984 to 1988. In the first two years the team from Kassel just missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga. After relegation in the 1986/87 season, Horst Knauf played another year in the Oberliga Hessen before ending his playing career.

two Comebacks

He did start two comebacks: In 1991 Horst played for SV Hermannia Kassel in the Landesliga Hessen for a season. In the second comeback, he put on his boots at the age of 38 to play for a reformed KSV Hessen Kassel in the tier eight Kreisliga A. The team made up of former professional players and young talents ended up promoted as champions. Hotte, as he was called at Kassel, scored 18 goals and he led his club into the Bezirksliga.

After his playing career he first worked as an area sales consultant for the Kamps company, today the father of one daughter lives in Castrop-Rauxel and works as an insurance broker. Under the name ‘Agt Verbund Knauf und Wilders’ he provides comprehensive advice and tailored insurance solutions.

Dear Horst, I wish you all the best on your 65th birthday!

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