Meet this Sunday League Team Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 win versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a outstanding experienced side that have won back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a group of former pro players who have played at the elite tier of club football and international soccer as you target more honors.

A Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional vets team with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their current squad.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Tier.

The lineup this season boasts 9 ex- Premier League players, with a total over 1,800 Premier League matches.

The high-profile squad also includes over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global appearances.

The squad include one forward, who notched 37 goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match against defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a six-two win - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also includes ex- pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have won fifteen big trophies and moved for total transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish appearances, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side in preseason this season through good mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"Those spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to give a day if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at defender.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

"The running is what I'm looking for. It's enjoyable."

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

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Division with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

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

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

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

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

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Jason Myers
Jason Myers

A passionate storyteller and digital creator, sharing unique narratives and life experiences to inspire readers worldwide.