Discover this Sunday League Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a outstanding experienced squad who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players who have played at the highest level of club and global football as you target more trophies.

A Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional vets team with nine former Premier League players in their active lineup.

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

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division.

Their squad list this campaign boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 top-flight matches.

The star-studded team also includes 222 top division scores and over 320 global caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their last home-field match versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

The team for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have secured fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team during pre-season this season through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He featured for the club from 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Blue kits - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to make a day if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his first game at full-back.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Tier with 3 victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," said Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Joshua Clements
Joshua Clements

A passionate writer and tech enthusiast with a background in digital media, dedicated to uncovering the latest trends and sharing actionable insights.