Introduce this Sunday Division Squad With 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a six-two victory versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent veteran side who have won consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a group of former pro players who have competed at the highest level of club football and global football as you aim for additional silverware.

One Greater Manchester team has an non-professional vets team with 9 former top-flight players in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are situated in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign boasts nine former Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 Premier League appearances.

This high-profile squad also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

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

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match against reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen big trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Household Figures and International Stars

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

Ireland started turning out for the side during pre-season this season through close friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for the club from 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

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

"If you still love football and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The people who turn up and see are happy and to give a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at defender.

"It's a bit different but then, I enjoy running and just move inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Wigan full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really have not ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

"Now we can't wait for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Brenda Forbes
Brenda Forbes

Eva is a passionate storyteller and cultural enthusiast who explores the hidden gems of The Hague.