There was a big debate in Leverkusen and the half-yearly general meeting was brought forward. On Monday 18 July 1949, the big decision was taken in the Burghof on Rathenaustraße. The club members voted to introduce professional contracts by an overwhelming majority with only four votes against – the football section was then made up of professional players and amateurs.
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen first team were playing in the Second Oberliga West at the time. All the players now received a monthly salary from the club as well as from their employers – that was mostly the Bayer works. A week in the life of a professional at Bayer 04 in 1949 looked like this: Work every weekday, training on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 o'clock in the evening and on Sunday there was a league match. Depending on the result of the game: Slaps on the back or insults at work. The men played in front of their workmates every Sunday. And they were expected to give their all as they were being paid for it even though the monthly payments would hardly raise a smile today. Key performers earned 200 Deutschmarks a month at Bayer 04 plus expenses of ten Deutschmarks per match.
The decision taken at the Burghof in July 1949 was the starting shot for our Bayer 04 as we know it today.
Claus-Dieter, known as ‘Pele’, Wollitz was born in Brakel on 19 July 1965 in Brakel. He earned the nickname of the Brazilian global super star at the age of six because he was able to the juggle the ball for a long time as a child. What was originally meant as a stunt would follow him all his life. Every football fan associates the name Wollwitz with his nickname: Pele.
Show moreJosé Roberto da Silva Junior, Zé Roberto for short, was born in the Brazilian city of São Paulo on 6 July 1974. He started playing football at the Pequeninos de Joquey soccer school at the age of seven. Via the club Palestra Sao Bernardo, the left footer moved on to the professional club Portuguesa de Desportos where he made his debut in 1994.
Show more25 years ago, the Bayer 04 U19 team under their two coaches Thomas Hörster and Dirk Dreher were Regional League West champions and thereby participants in the finals of the German championship.
Show moreAfter promotion to Bundesliga 2, the football boss Hermann Bacall had his hands full putting together a powerful team. For the first training session at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on 14 July 1975 there were nine new signings including five players who became regular starters in the team that won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1979.
Show moreAfter the success of the previous year, the gymnastics and sports club Leverkusen hold the ‘Wiesdorfer Sportwoche’ week of sports for a second time (the city of Leverkusen is only founded in 1930). The week of sport started on Sunday, 12 July 1925. In the years before World War I there were municipal gymnastics and games festivals. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the club in 1924 the board and many helping hands started the week of sports. An internal municipal games festival developed into a national event which made a name for itself after a year particularly due to the relay element.
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