History: 50 years ago – Promotion season 1974/75 (March)

Bayer 04 earned a point a week later at DJK Westwacht Aachen, the sixth in the sixth away game. The goals scored by Peter Surbach and Matthias Brücken were only enough for a draw as the Werkself weakened over the course of the game. Fitness in recent matches was not necessarily one of the strengths of the Black and Reds. But that did not mar the overall position for the Bayer 04 team. A 2-0 defeat for rivals SC Jülich 10 in Langerwehe put the Werkself top of the table in the Middle Rhine Verbandsliga.

Frechen 20 visited Leverkusen on 16 March 1975. The relegation-threatened team from Frechen put up a good fight against the Werkself. The hosts started as if they want to overrun the opponents. Matthias Brücken opened the scoring on six minutes. But the following goalscoring opportunities were not taken. And then the inexplicable drop in fitness in the second half. The equaliser comes on 50 minutes and the Werkself look lame. The players tensed up and the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Football boss Hermann Büchel did not mince his words: "That wasn't bad luck but rather a complete failure," he said to the journalists. Coach Manfred Rummel continued to enjoy the trust of the board and the players but criticism grew louder and louder. There were rumours that the coach had been usurped and was not able to pick the team on his own. The fact that several Bayer players had to play in recent weeks despite bouts of flu and other negative circumstances, and therefore did not perform as usual, did not count for Hermann Büchel. He demanded, "We have to have a different team on the pitch in the next away game at Langerwehe."

The match at TuS Langerwehe would determine the fate of coach Manfred Rummel and the team played for their coach. The league leaders from Leverkusen stuck to the instructions from the coach. Constantly on the move and totally committed, pressing the opponents and quickly switching play after winning possession were the plus points for a clearly improved Werkself. After a foul on Matthias Brücken, Willi Rehbach calmly converted a penalty on 28 minutes. After Peter Surbach made it 2-0 on 51 minutes as the Werkself showed great determination to protect the lead and the goalkeeper Hubert Makel was in outstanding form. And when people became aware of the points dropped by rivals Bonner SC, SC Brühl and, above all, Jülich 10 there was even more joy at the improvement in performance. The Werkself go into the next game on Easter Saturday against Bonner SC full of confidence.

The direct rivals for Bayer 04 make a very good start in the game watched by 2,100 spectators. The team from the capital put the Werkself in deep trouble again and again with dangerous counter-attacks and deservedly take the lead on 25 minutes. Bayer 04 then pressed for the equaliser and secured it just before half-time. Matthias Brücken is the goalscorer again. He heads the ball into the Bonner net from a free kick taken by Gerd Kentschke.

In the second half, the Werkself exert more pressure, and are more expansive and deliberate. The reward follows on 60 minutes: An exemplary assist from Gerd Kentschke leaves Hans-Werner Marx with a tap-in to make it 2-1. Then a shock on 82 minutes. A melee in the Leverkusen penalty area from a corner for the opponents sees the referee award a penalty but that is put wide of the target. On 87 minutes, Matthias Brücken scores on the turn for a deserved 3-1 lead and the Werkself can celebrate Easter in peace.

Bayer 04 lead the table after matchday 25, one point ahead of SC Jülich 10, who have two games in hand, and two points ahead of SC Brühl.