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1.04.2025Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month 3: Jean Pierre de Keyser turns 60

Jean Pierre de Keyser was born in Cologne on 13 April 1965 as the son of a Belgian NATO soldier stationed in Spich and a German mother. His childhood dream of becoming a vet was resolutely followed at school initially. But football threw a spanner in the works.
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He played for Rot-Weiß Hütte, a small club in the town Troisdorf, up to the younger year for the U19s. He then moved on to join the U19 team of the "bigger" SV Siegburg 04, playing in the top Middle Rhine U19 league that included Bayer 04. Playing against the Werkself, the attacking midfielder came to the attention of Bayer 04 boss Reiner Calmund who then brought him to the Bayer Cross to play for the U19 team.

He first played for the Bayer 04 reserve team before the Leverkusen head coach Erich Ribbeck brought him into the first-team squad in 1986. He very quickly established himself as a valuable squad player. The ball-winning Jean Pierre could play in midfield as well as in both full-back positions and as a central defender.

He made his first Bundesliga appearance on 22 November 1986. John Pierre came on as a substitute on 85 minutes in place of Herbert Waas in a 2-1 away win at FC Homburg. He made a total of 81 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer 04 scoring one goal. Up to 1991 he also played in six DFB Pokal and ten UEFA Cup games. His biggest success with Bayer 04 was winning the UEFA Cup in 1988. John Pierre played in five of the twelve games in that competition.

 

Jean Pierre de Keyser

After his time at Leverkusen, he played for second division VfL Osnabrück. He ended his professional career at the end of the season and in 1992 he played as an amateur for VfL Hamm/Sieg. He also played for FV Bad Honnef and he played his last football match for the district league club SpVg Wesseling-Urfeld. He gave up the attempt to stay in football as a coach. He quickly recognised that it wasn't for him.

Nevertheless, Jean Pierre, who speaks fluent Dutch, French, English and German, is still to be seen on football pitches around the Middle Rhine. First as the chair of FC Blau-Weiß Büsdorf and since 2015 as the sporting director at SC Fliesteden.

Since 2019, the father of two children has lived with his English wife Samantha in Rheidt-Hückelhoven, a small community near Bergheim/Erft. The owner of two industrial companies that produce products for pipeline construction he has extended the stables in the style of old farms.

Dear Jean Pierre, I wish you all the best on your 60th birthday. Enjoy the celebrations and remain fit and healthy.

 

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