Meet this Sunday Division Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Premier League Matches

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

What can you improve a stellar veteran squad that have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of former professionals that have performed at the top level of club and international soccer as you pursue further trophies.

One Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional vets squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 former top-flight footballers, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This elite roster also boasts 222 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home match against reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen big honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side during pre-season this summer through close friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now attends their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

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

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

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

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while Boyd hit 5 on his first match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight players," said the player.

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

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

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

"Our group really have not ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the way home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Susan Carter
Susan Carter

Elena Mitchell is a seasoned financial analyst and writer, specializing in investment strategies and market trends.