In the first season in the top-flight in 1979/80, Bayer 04 were only in a relegation spot once – after matchday one and a 3-1 defeat against Bayern in Munich. Nevertheless, the Werkself remained close to the drop zone. On matchday 33, the champions of Germany and league leaders Hamburg SV came to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The situation is tense as Bayer 04 need every point with just three separating them from the relegation places. Salvation finally comes after 90 minutes. In a dramatic match, HSV are beaten 2-1 and the whole of Leverkusen can look forward to another season in the Bundesliga.
After a bumpy start to the season and the Christoph Daum affair in November 2000, matchday 13 produces a 3-1 win at Hamburg SV and the surprising rise to the top of the table. However, being league leaders does not last long under the new coach Berti Vogts and his two assistants Pierre Littbarski and Wolfgang Rolff. The sporting rollercoaster ride continues after the winter break with lots of highs and lows. On matchday 34, the Werkself achieved a nail-biting 1-0 win against VfL Bochum thanks to a very good Frank Juric in goal and a strike from Oliver Neuville. Finishing fourth in the table qualifies Leverkusen for the qualifying rounds in the Champions League in 2001/02. And every Bayer 04 fan knows what happened then...
Wolfgang Vöge was born on 15 September 1955 in Ahlen, Westphalia and he was the fourth of seven children of a miner. His father, Erich Vöge, was a football referee as well. At an early age, Wolle, as he was called by his friends and teammates, developed a great passion for football and was an enthusiastic fan of BVB. His first success in football was achieved in the amateur game at his hometown club of SV Ahlen. He scored 26 goals in the first season and he came to the attention of scouts. That led to his move to Borussia Dortmund in 1975.
Show moreAndreas Thom was born on 7 September 1965 in Rüdersdorf near Berlin in Brandenburg. Andreas displayed an exceptional talent on the ball even as a child. Early on, he joined the youth section at BFC Dynamo Berlin, one of the leading football clubs in the German Democratic Republic. There he received targeted, performance-oriented training as part of the GDR sports system. His talent, his vision and his technique led him to make his debut in the first team at BFC Dynamo at the age of 17.
Show moreJens Melzig was born in Cottbus on 28 September 1965. Melle, as he was called at Leverkusen, started his playing career at his hometown club Energie Cottbus. As a young player there he soon stood out thanks to his strength in challenges and his ability to read the game. He was in the Energie Cottbus first team in 1984 and he played for the club in the GDR league and the Oberliga. With 144 appearances and twelve goals he became one of the big players in defence. He made a major contribution to the club during this period – as a strong-tackling central defender who also displayed leadership qualities.
Show moreLucio, full name Lucimar Ferreira da Silva, was born on 8 May 1978 in Planaltina, a suburb of the Brazilian capital Brasília. He showed his passion for football even as a child. On the dusty streets of his neighbourhood he spent hours chasing the ball – often in bare feet like many Brazilian children. Despite the simple conditions he grew up in, his family always supported his dream of one day becoming a great football player. He made his first steps in club football at small local clubs before moving onto the youth set-up at the club Guará and later he singed for the big club Internacional Porto Alegre. Bayer 04 signed the internationally completely unknown defender from there in January 2000.
Show moreIn this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of September. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.
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