Discover this Sunday Division Team Featuring Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 victory against their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a stellar experienced squad that have won consecutive titles, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two games?

Sign a raft of ex- professionals who have performed at the top tier of club football and international soccer as you pursue more honors.

One Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine former top-flight footballers in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are based in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Division.

The roster this season includes 9 former Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League games.

This star-studded roster also contains over 220 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half triple.

The squad for this campaign also includes former professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight players have secured fifteen significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through good friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in the city and use 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 told me 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and watch are pleased and to give someone's moment if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his first game at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored eight in three games for the side, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a little starstruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

"We held our own for a solid 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Tracy Velazquez
Tracy Velazquez

Emily Hartwell is an interior design enthusiast with a passion for creating functional and beautiful workspaces.