Discover the Weekend Division Team Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Vets during a six-two win against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a stellar experienced side who have secured back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals who have performed at the elite level of club and global football as you aim for more silverware.

One Greater Manchester club boasts an amateur veterans team with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The squad list this season includes 9 ex- top-flight players, with a collective nearly 1,800 top-flight games.

This elite roster also includes over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for the team in their last home game versus reigning champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight players have secured 15 significant trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this season through good friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side 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 the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The people who come and see are happy and to make a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, he had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Unreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

"I felt I was a little awestruck facing him to be honest.

"Even Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Division championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Susan Mercer
Susan Mercer

Lena is a historian and writer with a passion for uncovering forgotten stories and sharing them through engaging narratives.