Meet this Weekend Division Club With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 victory against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a outstanding experienced squad that have won consecutive titles, including a double triumph with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a collection of former pro players who have played at the top level of club and international football as you pursue additional honors.

A Manchester team has an non-professional veterans team with 9 former Premier League players in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Premier Division.

Their lineup this campaign features 9 former Premier League players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite matches.

The high-profile squad also includes over 220 top division goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his debut for the team in their last home match against defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured fifteen major trophies and moved for total transfer fees of about £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and still attends 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 between 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who turn up and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I love 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 continue running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Unreal Feeling

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"We held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Tier title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Joseph Watkins
Joseph Watkins

Elara Vance is a freelance music journalist and cultural critic based in London, with a passion for uncovering emerging artists and trends.