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

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Veterans in a six-two victory against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a excellent experienced squad who have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have played at the highest tier of club football and global football as you pursue additional trophies.

One Manchester team fields an non-professional vets team with 9 former Premier League players in their active lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are located in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Tier.

Their lineup this season features 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 top-flight games.

The elite roster also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

They include one forward, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their last home-field match versus reigning champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured fifteen significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this summer through good mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

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

"Then he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a bit awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Megan Padilla
Megan Padilla

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