Introduce this Weekend Division Club Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes 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 outstanding veteran team that have claimed back-to-back titles, featuring a double triumph with 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of former pro players who have competed at the top level of club and international football as you aim for more honors.

One Manchester club has an amateur veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their current squad.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are based in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Vets Division Top Division.

Their roster this campaign boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 Premier League games.

The high-profile team also includes over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also includes former professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have secured 15 significant honors and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Household Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Ireland began turning out for the side during preseason this season through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at defender.

"That's a little different but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in over two hundred Premier League games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got over 60 England caps.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who secured the Top Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Louis Poole
Louis Poole

Financial analyst and wealth advisor with over a decade of experience in global markets and personal finance strategies.