Introduce this Sunday Division Squad Boasting 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 victory 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 enhance a excellent experienced team that have secured back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Recruit a group of former pro players who have performed at the top tier of club football and global football as you pursue further silverware.

One Manchester club has an amateur veterans squad with 9 former Premier League footballers in their active roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division.

The lineup this campaign boasts nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined 1,801 Premier League games.

This star-studded roster also contains over 220 top division scores and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home match versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes former professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight players have won fifteen major honors and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123 million.

Household Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, netting four goals

Ireland started playing for the side in pre-season this summer through good friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

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

"If you still love football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

"The people who come and see are pleased and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at full-back.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight stars," said Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

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

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Melanie Campos
Melanie Campos

A seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK politics and social trends, passionate about storytelling.