Discover this Sunday Division Squad Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two victory versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a stellar experienced squad that have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with 30 wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have played at the highest level of club and global soccer as you aim for more silverware.

One Greater Manchester club has an non-professional vets squad with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their current squad.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

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

This high-profile team also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed 15 significant trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of about £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 scores

Ireland started turning out for the team in preseason this summer through close friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve goals 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 wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

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

"If you still love football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 top-flight games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

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

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Top Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Joseph Lawrence
Joseph Lawrence

Maya Chen is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience helping startups scale through innovative marketing and operational efficiency.