Dr. Jürgen Schwericke: From 1975 to the reunion of TuS 04 and SV Bayer 04 in 1984, he was the president of SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen and in that role he played a significant part in the promotion to the Bundesliga. He was rarely seen in the stands in the second half of games as he preferred to spend time on the edge of the pitch, preferably next to the opposition goal, to be closer to the action. HERE is an announcement in honour of Dr. Jürgen Schwericke.
Richard Seuser: The gentleman on the left in the second photo. He had been a club member since 1907 and one of the first footballers. He later went on to manage our club as a member of the football committee and, above all, in his role as the deputy chairman of Bayer 04, a post he held for a long time. Seuser, after over 40 years working on the Bayer 04 board, finally retired in 1971 and he was then named the honorary chairman. He died in 1993 at the age of 100.
Gustav Schmitz: The gentleman on the right in the second photo. The first groundsman at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium and the adjoining training pitches was responsible for looking after the turf at Bayer 04 for a total of 19 years up to his retirement in 1976. He has passed on his love for the club and "his" turf as his grandson Georg is now our head groundsman.
Harald Wohner: The man on the left in the third photo. He worked at the club from 1956, first looking after the Reserve and Amateur teams and later he was the kit man for the senior squad in the 1980s. For almost 40 years he was primarily responsible for looking after the players’ boots and he had to tolerate one or two foibles from me. He passed away after a long illness in 2018 shortly after meeting up with the UEFA Cup winners. HERE is the announcement in honour of Harald Wohner.
Dieter Treckentrup: Dieter knew every first team player and coach at Bayer 04 over many years. I don't think he ever missed a training session in the 80s or 90s. His written analysis of the next opponents and his recommended line-ups for the Bayer 04 coaches are legendary. The players also received free advice on their way from the dressing room to the training ground. Dieter was simply a one-off!
Other images from the match:
Dieter Bast was born in Oberhausen on 28 August 1951. He began playing football in the youth team at DJK Arminia Klosterhardt, a local club in Oberhausen. Whilst training as a toolmaker, he moved to neighbouring club Sterkrade 06/07 to play for their U19s, where he caught the eye of Bundesliga sides Rot-Weiss Essen and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Bast opted for Rot-Weiss and played in the Bundesliga from 1970 onwards. In his very first year, he made 22 appearances as a right winger, scoring three goals. Nevertheless, Essen were unable to avoid relegation.
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José Vítor Roque Júnior was born on 31 August 1976 in Santa Rita do Sapucaí, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. As a youth, he played for São José EC, a club in the east of the state of São Paulo. His professional career began in 1995 with Palmeiras São Paulo. There, Roque Júnior quickly established himself as a key player in the team, making more than 200 appearances and enjoying significant success. With the club, he won the Copa do Brasil in 1998 and the Copa Libertadores in 1999, the South American equivalent of the European Champions League.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 from the month of August. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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The Werkself play their first top-flight match in Bayer 04’s history away at Sportfreunde Katernberg. 7,000 spectators turn up at the Am Lindenbruch stadium in that district of Essen. The Katernbergers have transformed the once ‘barren’ pitch into a real gem. On this Sunday afternoon, 19 August 1951, the lush turf provides the perfect conditions for a good game of football.
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Following a thoroughly successful start with a 2–1 home win against VfL Wolfsburg, the Werkself are organising a team event. On Wednesdays, they head to the Nürburgring together and do a few laps at speed. Manager Klaus Toppmöller welcomes this initiative, as it promotes team spirit and integration. During weekly training sessions, the team works extensively on various defensive tactics, as the manager was dissatisfied with his players’ pressing in the final minutes of the match against the Wolves.
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