Discover the Weekend Division Team With Over 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding experienced side that have claimed back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Bring in a collection of ex- pro players that have played at the elite level of club and global soccer as you target further honors.

One Manchester team has an non-professional veterans team with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their present squad.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

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

The lineup this season features 9 former top-flight footballers, with a collective 1,801 Premier League matches.

The elite roster also includes over 220 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field game against defending title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The team for this campaign also features former pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have won fifteen major trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately Β£123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland started playing for the side in pre-season this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"A mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and see are happy and to make a day if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the bench strength at the club, he had his first game at defender.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six goals on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got 60-odd English caps.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who won the Premier Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Melanie Allen
Melanie Allen

A seasoned luxury market analyst and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in high-end networking and lifestyle consulting.

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