Introduce the Sunday Division Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets during a 6-2 triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a excellent experienced side that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 games?

Sign a group of former professionals who have played at the highest tier of club football and international soccer as you aim for further silverware.

One Greater Manchester side has an non-professional vets squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

The squad list this campaign includes 9 ex- Premier League players, with a collective over 1,800 elite appearances.

The high-profile squad also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad include one forward, who notched 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game against defending title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

The team for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have secured fifteen significant honors and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in preseason this season through close friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and see are happy and to make someone's day if they see us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

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

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Feeling

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd hit five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in more than two hundred Premier League matches.

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

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

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

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

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

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Win the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Cory Brown
Cory Brown

A cultural journalist with a passion for UK arts, Evelyn covers music festivals and theatre productions across Britain.