Meet this Weekend League Squad With 1,800 English Top Division Matches

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

What do you boost a outstanding experienced squad who have secured back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double boasting 30 victories from 32 games?

Bring in a raft of former professionals who have played at the elite level of club football and international soccer as you pursue additional silverware.

One Greater Manchester side has an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their active roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 Global Caps

The team Veterans Over-35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a collective over 1,800 Premier League games.

This high-profile roster also contains 222 top division goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes former professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have secured fifteen major honors and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team in preseason this summer through good mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw 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, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who come and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan 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 his country, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight matches.

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

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

"We held our own for a solid twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Top Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Jacob Wilson
Jacob Wilson

Elara Vance is a wellness coach and writer passionate about holistic health and mindfulness, sharing insights to help others thrive.