Introduce the Sunday Division Team Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a six-two victory versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you boost a stellar veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have played at the top level of club football and global soccer as you target further trophies.

A Manchester side boasts an amateur veterans squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in south the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

The squad list this campaign includes 9 former top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 top-flight games.

This star-studded team also includes over 220 top division goals and 325 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who scored 37 goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League footballers have won 15 significant trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123 million.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 goals

Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this season through close friend and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"The spectators who turn up and see are happy and to give someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

"It's a bit different but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight games.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

"I felt I was a bit starstruck playing against him to be honest.

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has 60-odd England appearances.

"We held our own for a solid twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Premier Tier title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Holly Barton
Holly Barton

A passionate writer and tech enthusiast sharing insights on innovation and self-improvement.