Meet this Weekend Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Games

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

How do you enhance a outstanding experienced side that have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals who have competed at the top level of club and global soccer as you target more trophies.

A Manchester club fields an non-professional veterans squad with nine former top-flight footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Tier.

Their lineup this campaign features nine former Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite appearances.

This elite roster also boasts over 220 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight players have secured fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish appearances, netting 4 goals

Ireland started playing for the side during pre-season this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

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

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his first game at full-back.

"That's a little different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

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

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in over two hundred top-flight matches.

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

"I think I was a bit awestruck playing against him to be honest.

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"We really have not stopped talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

Mark Smith
Mark Smith

Elena is a casino gaming expert with 10 years of experience in roulette strategy and platform development.