Discover this Sunday Division Team Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets during a six-two triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a stellar experienced side who have secured back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have played at the top tier of club and global soccer as you aim for additional silverware.

One Manchester club has an amateur veterans team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Top Division.

The roster this season includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

The high-profile team also boasts 222 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for Β£9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against reigning title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The squad for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC 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.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have claimed 15 big trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately Β£123m.

Well-Known Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this season through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's good fun'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who turn up and see are happy and to give a day if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his first game at full-back.

"It's a bit different but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

"That running is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Experience

Along with Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Division with three wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," said Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's has 60-odd England caps.

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

"Our group literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Top Tier championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Larry Smith
Larry Smith

A tech enthusiast and software engineer with over a decade of experience in AI and cloud computing, passionate about sharing practical insights.