History: 50 years ago – the promotion season 1974/75

However, in front of 1,200 spectators at the Pennenfeldstadion the home team take the lead on 43 minutes with their first chance to the great celebration of the home support although the Werkself were superior in the first half and created a number of chances. In the second half it's a question of movement as the Leverkusen officials on the touchline shout out to their team. Only libero Manfred Vetter poses a threat once or twice as he pushes forward. With eleven minutes to play, a header from centre forward Manfred Schumann saves Bayer 04 from an opening setback and rescues a point. Schumann celebrates his goal with a somersault.

A week later the Werkself are away in the first round of the DFB Pokal to Eintracht Kreuznach albeit with the second team. The district league team cannot compete with Bayer 04 and the strong wind does not stop Leverkusen either. After the opening goal scored by Matthias Hemmersbach on 42 minutes, Matthias Brücken doubled the lead shortly after the restart. And an own goal by Wolfgang Fabian does not disrupt our team as Manfred Schumann makes it 3-1 to seal the win and qualify for the second round of the DFB Pokal.

The first home game of that season is four days later on a Wednesday night. Ahead of the game against Siegburger SV 04, Bayer 04 honour the long-serving masseur Hans Bochniak for 25 years work under the Bayer Cross. This happy event fails to spark the Werkself in a miserable game in front of 1,500 spectators Bayer 04 can only draw 0-0. The visitors pack the midfield and cover their own penalty area so that Leverkusen's attacking game remains fruitless. The introduction of Dieter Axemacher for Peter Surbach for the second half and from 70 minutes Klaus Röhrig for Alfred Lüke do not bring an improvement so that the Siegburg team deservedly take a point.

The next away game takes Bayer 04 Leverkusen to the Stadion Weidenpescher Park. In front of 800 spectators, the first double points win is secured against VfL Köln 99. After an own goal by the Cologne team, team under coach Manfred Rummel, who allowed no doubt of the winner today from the start, press for further goals. In addition to four shots against the posts and a header against the bar, Matthias Brücken and substitute Alfred Lüke scored two more goals to secure a richly deserved if not particularly outstanding 3-0 win.

On Sunday 22 September only 1,000 spectators come to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium and with them the visitors from FC Nord Köln who take the lead after three minutes through the former Bayer 04 player Offerman. The same player pulls the hair of the Bayer 04 captain Hans-Werner Marx and the Cologne centre forward is shown a red card. However, the Cologne team remained dangerous with ten players and increase the lead before half-time to 2-0. After the restart, Hans-Werner Marx makes it 2-1 on 52 minutes and when Matthias Brücken equalises at 2-2 on 80 minutes there is even still the chance of a winner but Manfred Schumann twice with powerful headers and Klaus Röhrig and Dieter Axemacher with good opportunities fail to secure the win. Coach Manfred Rummel dictates the journalists: "Some of our players believe they can become Middle Rhine champions on their merits. Even though they are in a stew they walk around the pitch like tired tourists.”

However, the low point has not been reached yet. Ahead of the game away to SV Baesweiler, the technical head of the Bayer 04 football department Hermann Büchel threatens consequences but his verbal attack against the team but this does not bring an improvement. The clearly superior Werkself in the first half scarcely pose a goal threat and the hosts test the Bayer 04 defence again and again with counter-attacks. Baesweiler open the scoring in the second half on 50 minutes and 24 minutes later defender Peter Litzinger and goalkeeper Hubert Makel make two blunders leading to the second goal for SV Baesweiler. That is the final scoreline and Bayer 04 are in a disappointing seventh place after five games with five points out of ten clocked up.