Introduce the Sunday Division Club With Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

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

What can you improve a stellar veteran side who have won back-to-back championships, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty wins from 32 games?

Sign a collection of ex- pro players who have played at the highest tier of club and international football as you target additional silverware.

One Greater Manchester club boasts an non-professional vets team with nine ex- top-flight players in their current lineup.

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

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

The roster this campaign boasts nine former top-flight players, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

This star-studded team also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

They include one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home game against reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

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

Household Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 scores

Ireland began turning out for the team during preseason this summer through close friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy the game and you know you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and watch are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy running and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

"The movement is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was going round like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has 60-odd English appearances.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"We literally have not stopped talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

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

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Marcus Scott
Marcus Scott

Elena Voss is a seasoned financial analyst and writer with over 15 years of experience in wealth management.