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Only 8,000 spectators come to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium for the game against VfB Bottrop on 5 May 1968. After a nervy start, defender Willi Haag scores the opener with a long-range effort to the relief of teammates and fans. When Friedhelm Strzelczyk doubles the lead after the half-hour mark it is all about the margin of the expected Bayer 04 victory. A goal from Karl-Heinz Brücken and a brace from Helmut Richert increases the lead to 5-0. As both rivals win their games at least a draw on the last matchday away to Schwarz-Weiß Essen is required as the goal average compared with Rot-Weiss Essen is clearly in favour of Bayer 04. Losing is not an option as the Bayer team would slip down to third place in the event of the other two teams winning.
The Werkself ran onto the pitch at the Uhlenkrug Stadium in pouring rain on 12 May 1968 accompanied by 4,000 Bayer 04 fans. Leverkusen take the lead on 21 minutes with a brilliant diagonal shot from Helmut Brücken. Up to half-time, Essen turn the game round and the Bayer 04 fans don't give their own team any chance. However, coach Theo Kirchberg brings on Klaus Görtz in place of Fredi Hennecken at the start of the second half. And "the tall one" controls proceedings on the pitch for the first 20 minutes after the restart. He takes hold of the game, plays long balls and shoots from all angles. The Essen keeper is unable to hold on to one of those shots from 20 yards out allowing Helmut Brücken to level just after half-time with his second goal. Eight minutes later, Klaus Görtz races away, plays a one-two with Friedhelm Strzelczyk and fires the ball into the back of the net. A complete turnaround at the Uhlenkrug in Essen. The Werkself play wonderful football and have more chances on goal. But the Black and Whites do not give up and are able to equalise on 70 minutes. Essen press for the winner in the last 20 minutes but Bayer 04 battle to hold on to the draw. The Bundesliga play-offs are achieved and as Rot-Weiss Essen win 5-1 in Hamborn, Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the champions of the Regional League West in 1968.
The Werkself are in Group 1 alongside Tennis Borussia Berlin, Kickers Offenbach, Arminia Hannover and TuS Neuendorf (today TuS Koblenz). The Black and Reds play the first away game at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin against Berlin runners-up Tennis Borussia. The 2,000 travelling Leverkusen fans witness a good start by the Werkself. After hitting the post twice, Fredi Hennecken nets the opening goal. But in a repeat of the week before the team are 2-1 down at half-time. The superior fitness on the heavy pitch brings a decisive advantage to the Bayer 04 team in the second half. A double whammy around 70 minutes with goals from Friedhelm Strzelczyk and Fredi Hennecken turns the game round for the team under coach Theo Kirchberg. Helmut Brücken seals the win just before full-time to secure the first two points.
Kickers Offenbach visit the Ulrich Haberland Stadium four days later. The ground is bursting at the seams with 20,000 spectators. Fans use the steel supports for the floodlights as seats or go home disappointed as there are no more tickets to be had. The team from Hessen are on top from the start with a very organised defence in the first half and an attacking game in the second. Offenbach deservedly take the lead on 67 minutes. As the referee is just about to blow for full-time, Friedhelm Strzelczyk takes a chance and fires an unstoppable shot from distance into the net to level the scores. The final whistle is met with huge celebrations by the Bayer 04 fans.
The fixture against Arminia Hannover follows a week later. The team from Lower Saxony failed to score in their first three games having lost them all 1-0. The Werkself dominate the first ten minutes but lose their way in the worst performance by Bayer 04 for months. After being a goal down at half-time, substitute Peter Rübenach at least rescues a the point with a strike on 84 minutes.
The Group 1 table after that matchday:
Jacek Krzynowek was born on 15 May 1976 in Kamiensk, Poland, and grew up as a typical country boy. He spent his childhood less in structured training sessions and more on simple pitches, where he spent hours playing football with older boys. He realised early on that he had exceptional shooting power and enormous stamina. But for a long time, he didn't appreciate just how much talent he had. While others dream of a great career, professional football initially seems like a distant world to him that he only knows from television.
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Carsten ‘Calle’ Ramelow was born in Berlin on 20 March 1974. He began his football career in the youth teams at Tasmania 73, Tennis Borussia, SC Siemensstadt and, last but not least, Hertha Berlin. It was here that he reached the DFB Pokal final in 1993 with the Hertha Bubis team, the amateur team at Hertha Berlin, against his future employer Bayer 04 Leverkusen. But even he was unable to prevent the Werkself's 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Ulf Kirsten.
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The 1995/1996 season brought some innovations. For the first time, each player was given a squad number with his name printed on the back of the jersey. For the first time, coaches were allowed to make three substitutions and for the first time, three points are awarded for a win. And for the first time, I am no longer my team's number 1. I wear it on my back, but Dirk Heinen has taken over me in goal. So at first I sat on the bench a bit offended, but in the Rückrunde I realised I also had to make my contribution to the success of a team.
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In this video you can see impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 from the month of May. It's not always about the beauty of the goals, but also a reminder of special games and players.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen, promoted to the Oberliga West, welcome VfL 99 Köln for the last game of a successful season. This time, the crowd of just 2,000 spectators saw more of a friendly than a championship match. Little fight, little goalmouth action and few moves in midfield to warm the hearts of the spectators. It takes a corner to give Bayer 04 the lead. Peter Röger is on hand with his head and nods home on 43 minutes for the half-time lead. When Karl-Heinz Spikofski increased the lead to 2-0 a quarter of an hour after the restart, the result was settled. The team from Cologne were able to reduce the deficit to 2-1 in the final minute, but in the end the spectators went home looking forward to the first season for a Bayer 04 team in Oberliga West 1.
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