Discover this Sunday Division Squad With Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Games

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

How do you enhance a excellent veteran squad who have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players that have competed at the top level of club and global football as you pursue further trophies.

One Greater Manchester side has an amateur vets squad with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their current roster.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The lineup this season features 9 former Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 elite matches.

The elite team also boasts 222 top division scores and over 320 global caps.

They feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half triple.

The roster for this season also includes former pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have claimed 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Irish appearances, netting four scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side during pre-season this summer through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 Premier League games for Everton and still goes to their home games, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who turn up and watch are pleased and to make a day if they watch us competing 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."

So great is the bench strength at the club, he had his first game at defender.

"That's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Division with three wins from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

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

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," said Barrow.

"I think I was a little starstruck facing him to be honest.

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

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"We literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we can't wait for the return match."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Dr. Melinda Lopez DVM
Dr. Melinda Lopez DVM

Eleanor is a British lifestyle journalist and travel enthusiast with over a decade of experience exploring UK culture.