Discover this Sunday Division Club Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

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

What can you improve a excellent experienced side that have won consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double with 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players that have played at the elite level of club and global soccer as you aim for further trophies.

A Greater Manchester club has an amateur veterans squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are based in south the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The roster this season boasts nine former top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 top-flight matches.

The elite roster also contains 222 Premier League scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their last home game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The squad for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have secured fifteen significant honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Household Names and International Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side in pre-season this summer through close mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The spectators who come and watch are happy and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move 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.

"That movement is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

Unreal Feeling

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three games for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with 3 wins from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in more than 200 top-flight games.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had all these former top-flight stars," said Barrow.

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

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Premier Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Jessica Moody
Jessica Moody

A passionate food blogger and home cook, sharing her love for global cuisines and easy-to-follow recipes.