Meet the Weekend League Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a stellar experienced side that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph with thirty wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of former pro players who have competed at the highest tier of club and global football as you pursue additional honors.

One Greater Manchester team has an amateur vets squad with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are based in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

The roster this season boasts nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 top-flight appearances.

This high-profile squad also boasts over 220 top division goals and 325 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who scored 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have claimed 15 significant honors and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123 million.

Household Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Irish caps, netting four scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in pre-season this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

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

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

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

Such is the bench strength at the club, he had his debut at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in over two hundred Premier League games.

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

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 England appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We literally have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Molly Peters
Molly Peters

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