Discover this Sunday League Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans during a six-two triumph 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

How do you improve a excellent experienced team that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from 32 games?

Bring in a raft of ex- professionals that have performed at the top level of club football and global football as you aim for additional silverware.

One Manchester club fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active roster.

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

The team Vets Over-35s are located in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Top Tier.

The lineup this season includes 9 former top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 top-flight appearances.

The elite squad also includes over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have claimed fifteen significant trophies and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four goals

Ireland began turning out for the side in preseason this season through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals 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 Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

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

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

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

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Top Division with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a little awestruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

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

"Our side competed well for a good 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

"We really have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Morgan Robbins
Morgan Robbins

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in curating premium online resources and tools.