
Rüdiger, what does the new shirt feel like?
Vollborn: Just like it should do: absolute top quality. I also know our kit managers are very happy with the quality. And in terms of the look I’ve got to say: I really, really like this shirt. The people at JAKO have certainly put their thinking caps on, above all the designer David Blanch. I think it’s great when somebody gets so involved with our club and produce shirts like this one.
What details do you particularly like?
Vollborn: I think it’s brilliant the way the Leverkusen skyline appears on the collar. You can see the Bayer Cross, the water tower, the town hall gallery and a lot more. City, factory and club all belong together. And the collar expresses that for me. The love of detail with the stripes 72 millimetres apart reflecting the fact the Bayer Cross had a 72-metre diameter - fantastic! And then the fact the numbers on the shirt reflect the style of the 1970s club badge. Fantastic. This shirt is linked to our history and tradition. And the people at Jako have really dug deep here. Hats off to them!
What impressions did you get from your visit to Jako?
Vollborn: A great company with lots of young people full of brilliant ideas. I hope we can work with Jako over the long term. I think we can definitely help each other.
How do you think the fans will react?
Vollborn: I’m pretty sure all the shirts,including the away and third kits, will go down very well. Our fans are in for a real treat.


Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month.
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