Discover the Sunday Division Squad Featuring 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two win versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you boost a stellar experienced squad who have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Sign a group of ex- professionals who have played at the top tier of club and global football as you target further trophies.

One Greater Manchester team has an amateur vets team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Division.

Their lineup this season boasts 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a total 1,801 Premier League appearances.

This high-profile roster also includes 222 Premier League scores and 325 global caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in over 100 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

The roster for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have won fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting four scores

Ireland began turning out for the side during preseason this season through close mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for the club between 2016 and 2020

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to make a moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

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

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

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

The team are top of the Top Division with 3 victories from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

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