Back
1.01.2022Bayer 04

Miscellaneous: The buckled one

Anybody from Leverkusen going along Bismarckstraße on New Year's Day in 1966 could hardly believe their eyes. The floodlight pylon in the north-east section of the Ulrich Haberland Stadium was buckled with the top third hanging down. A storm had blown through Leverkusen overnight and the three-year-old pylon was unable to withstand it.
crop_19630810_Ulrich_Haberland_Stadion_Einweihung_Flutlichtanlage.jpg

The floodlights, sponsored by Bayer AG to mark the company's centenary, were unveiled on 10 August 1963. The most modern and brightest system in Europe at the time passed its performance test behind closed doors on 17 December 1963 for a friendly against a Middle Rhine team and was only used again on Maundy Thursday in 1964 for a friendly against Wacker Innsbruck. The Werkself won that game 2-0.

After the event on New Year, the other three floodlight pylons were used as 'VIP seats' whenever the stadium was full. The fourth floodlight pylon was only replaced in 1970.

first competitive match under floodlights

Our team played their first league match under floodlights on a Friday night. Bayer 04 beat Alemannia Aachen 2-1 at home in the Regional League West on 17 October 1970. However, the brightness of the lights became a problem over the years. Bayer 04 had to dim the floodlights to stop dazzling drivers on the A1 autobahn. That meant the Werkself players had to strain their eyes in night games to maintain a clear vision of proceedings.

Only with the rebuilding of the "Gem of the Bundesliga" and the completion of the first half of the construction of the new East Stand in October 1986 did the Ulrich Haberland Stadium have two new floodlight pylons in the north-east and south-east of the ground so that the drivers on the A1 were no longer dazzled. That meant our team played night matches at the time with light from two new and two old floodlight pylons. All four floodlight pylons were upgraded in October 1988.

one-off hush-hush operation

Lighting at the stadium was no longer a problem with one exception: After an away game in the Champions League qualifier at Dinamo Tbilisi in 1997, coach Christoph Daum organised a training session at the stadium on their return at four in the morning – with all the lights on. Residents around the stadium experienced significant disruption during the night. Since then, there has never been another similar hush-hush operation.

Related News

Von Eigl bis Calhanoglu | Tore des Monats Oktober
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2024

Goals of the Month: From Eigl to Calhanoglu

In this video you can watch impressive and important goals in the history of Bayer 04 in the month of October. It is not always about the beauty of the goals but also about remembering special games and players.

Show more
Vor 35 Jahren – Tabellenführung in München | Spiel des Monats Oktober
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2024

Match of the month: 35 years ago – Top of the table in Munich, part two

The Werkself secured victory against Bayern Munich for the first time on 1 November 1986. On matchday 12, Bayer 04 beat the Bundesliga league leaders 3-0 at the Olympic Stadium in Munich and go top of the table.

Show more
Torben Hoffmann wird 50 | Geburtstagskind des Monats Oktober
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2024

Birthday boy of the month five: Torben Hoffmann is 50

Torben Hoffman was born in Kiel on 27 October 1974. In his youth he played for TuS Schwarz-Weiß Elmschershagen. The qualified policeman joined Holstein Kiel in 1993. Two years later he moved on to VfB Lübeck in Bundesliga two. After relegation with Lübeck in 1997 he came to attention of SC Freiburg and they signed the defender. The team relegated from the Bundesliga went straight back up with Torben who moved under the Bayer Cross in 1999 after another year in the Bundesliga. However, he was unable to establish himself at Leverkusen making only sporadic appearances and he was rarely in the starting XI. He played in a total of 30 games for the Werkself.

Show more
Thomas Reichenberger wird 50 | Geburtstagskind des Monats Oktober
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2024

Birthday boy of the month four: Thomas Reichenberger is 50

Thomas ‘Thommy’ Reichenberger was born in Bad Kreuznach on 14 October 1974. The son of a former Bundesliga player – his father Max made 38 Bundesliga appearances for 1860 Munich – played for Eintracht Bad Kreuznach as a youth player before moving up to the first team.

Show more
Manfred Pomp wird 60 | Geburtstagskind des Monats Oktober
Bayer 04 - 01.10.2024

Birthday boy of the month three: Manfred Pomp is 60

Manfred ‘Manni’ Pomp was born in Aachen on 25 October 1964. His first football club was the Aachen police sports club (PSV) but he signed for Alemannia Aachen after a year.

Show more