Discover this Sunday League Team With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two win against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a outstanding experienced squad that have claimed consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with 30 victories from thirty-two games?

Recruit a group of former professionals who have competed at the elite tier of club and international football as you pursue further silverware.

One Manchester side fields an amateur vets squad with nine former Premier League players in their active roster.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

Their lineup this campaign includes 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 elite games.

The star-studded squad also contains 222 Premier League scores and 325 global caps.

They include one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have secured 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish appearances, netting four goals

Ireland began playing for the side in preseason this season through good mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then invited additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and even now attends their home games, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"The fans who turn up and see are pleased and to make a moment if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," said the player.

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

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

"Our side 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 mum and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets side, who won the Premier Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Andrea Bryant
Andrea Bryant

Dr. Lena Hart is a automotive engineer and fuel efficiency specialist with over 15 years of experience in sustainable driving technologies.