Introduce the Weekend Division Team Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a six-two triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a excellent experienced side who have won back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Sign a group of ex- pro players who have played at the highest level of club and global soccer as you target further honors.

A Greater Manchester side has an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are based in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

The roster this season features nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 elite games.

This elite roster also contains 222 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game against reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The team for this season also includes former pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have won 15 significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side during pre-season this season through close mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and still goes to their home games, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for Everton between 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The people who come and see are pleased and to give a moment if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he had his first game at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"That movement is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with three victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

"I think I was a little starstruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

"Also Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

"Our side competed well for a good 20 mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

"Now we can't wait for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Premier Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Megan Roberson
Megan Roberson

A seasoned digital strategist with over a decade of experience in SEO and content marketing, passionate about helping businesses thrive online.