History: 50 years ago – promotion season 1974/75 (April)

League leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen travel to bottom-of-the-table SSV 05 Troisdorf on 6 April – and end up losing miserably. A Troisdorf team battling to the end teach a sluggish Werkself a lesson. Rarely before has the Leverkusen team looked for success in such a confused and arrogant manner. Starting with goalkeeper Hubert Makel, via the otherwise so reliable Willi Rehbach, the completely disappointing midfielders Hans-Werner Marx and Peter Surbach through to the toothless and unimaginative strikers Matthias Brücken, Manfred Schumann and Klaus Röhrig. Troisdorf inflict a 4-1 defeat on the Werkself. The consolation goal is scored by Willi Rehbach from the penalty spot. The only positive thing are the results for the rivals as the Werkself remain top of the table despite the heavy defeat.

The Bayer 04 fans expect a turnaround a week later when Viktoria Köln visit the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The Cologne side, who are just one point behind the Werkself, take the lead on 20 minutes with a penalty. But the Bayer team quite quickly get over the shock of going behind. With the same strikers as in the sobering defeat the week before, they put the Cologne team’s defence under great pressure. But Viktoria, who defend resolutely, survive the pressure up to half-time.

The breakthrough comes on 53 minutes – an equaliser from the penalty spot scored by Willi Rehbach. The Viktoria Köln keeper Horst Holubek is the hero of the game as he tips apparently unstoppable shots from the Werkself round the post. The scoreline remains 1-1. And, despite dropping a point, Bayer 04 are still top of the table on their own.

The local derby against the FC Köln reserve team follows three days later. The line adopted by Bayer 04 coach Manfred Rummel of playing with caution for the first 20 minutes and not conceding any goals goes west as the FC Köln reserves take the lead on twelve minutes. The game develops into an open match with chances for both sides but only the one goal is scored resulting in another defeat. The Werkself only pick up one point instead of the six hoped-for in the three games – and are still top of the table albeit level on points with Viktoria Köln and SC Brühl. It develops into an exciting title race between four teams as SC Jülich 10 have three games in hand that could put them ahead of the three rivals.

BC Oberbruch Heinsberg visit the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Sunday 20 April. But in the first half the very untimely crisis is confirmed in this crucial phase of the season. Disastrous misplaced passes, constant misunderstandings and a weary midfield without dominant personalities unsettles the Werkself even more. On 35 minutes, Wolfgang Fabian just keeps the ball out on his own goal-line and that is followed by the only chance for Bayer 04 in the first half with a Klaus Röhrig header hitting the bar. There are loud whistles of disapproval from the 1,200 spectators at half-time.

Everybody in the stadium calms down when the Werkself take a flattering lead thanks to a deflected free kick from Willi Rehbach back on 48 minutes. Manfred Eickerling makes it 2-0 five minutes later. A brace from striker Matthias Brücken on 66 and 67 minutes extends the lead to 4-0. Three more goals are scored before the end of the game, two for Bayer 04 by Hans-Werner Max and Norbert Sobbe and a goal for the visitors. The performance in the second half raises hopes ahead of the two big matches against the two rivals SC Jülich 10 and SC Brühl.

In summer temperatures, 800 spectators watch the match at SC Jülich 10. A poor game by both sides even if the Werkself do have chances to score. It ends in a goalless draw that does not help either side as SC Jülich 10 need both points to compete in the race for the title. And the Werkself slip one point behind rivals SC Brühl after this result.

And SC Brühl visit the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on the penultimate matchday, which is watched by the Solingen coach Horst Stockhausen, who sees Leverkusen as possible opponents for the promotion games to the Bundesliga 2 North, and he compares it "to a cemetery. There's scarcely better play in our district league but the fans get behind us, cheer us on and celebrate moves that only have a slight chance of posing a threat on goal." The Hannover coach Horst Schüler, also on a spying mission at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, calls the Leverkusen fans "ungrateful because only poor performances and mistakes in the game produce a loud reaction.”

Wednesday night, 30 April, at 19:30 sees the potential decider for the district league championship in the Middle Rhine Football Association. The Werkself start the game in front of 2,500 spectators in a way not seen for a long time: with incredible flair, unconditional commitment and non-stop attacking football. Today it's a case of all or nothing.

SC Brühl are pinned back in their own half and the chances pile up. The Bayer team use every opportunity to shoot. On the half-hour mark, Matthias Hemmersbach opens the scoring with a slight suspicion of offside. Matthias Brücken has a big chance to add a second goal before half-time but the score remains 1-0.

The attacks drop off in the second half and SC Brühl up their game. There are still several good chances for Bayer but the second goal won't come after the restart. The next goal is scored by Brühl. A big mistake by keeper Hubert Makel who completely misjudges a cross allows a Brühl striker to score the equaliser. What happens then is well-planned to a certain extent. The Werkself rise up against the threatening fate but the minutes are ticking by.

It's the 93rd minute, referee Löhr adds some time due to injuries, and Norbert Sobbe puts a cross into the Brühl box. Matthias Brücken rises and heads goalwards. Players and spectators watch in expectation and then, when the ball lands in the net, burst out into unbounded joy. After a very good game for the Werkself for long periods, the chance to win the title on the final matchday to qualify for the promotion matches to Bundesliga 2 North at the end of May is in their own hands.