Discover this Sunday Division Team Boasting 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for the team Vets during a six-two win against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a excellent veteran squad who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with 30 wins from 32 matches?

Bring in a group of ex- professionals who have performed at the highest level of club football and global football as you target further trophies.

A Manchester club boasts an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present roster.

222 Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

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

The roster this season boasts 9 ex- Premier League players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite games.

The high-profile team also includes over 220 top division goals and over 320 international caps.

The squad include one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League players have won fifteen big trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Household Figures and International Players

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

Ireland started turning out for the side in pre-season this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'join and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"The fans who turn up and watch are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

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

"The running is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one match up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Division championship last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Steven Smith
Steven Smith

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