Introduce the Weekend League Club With Over 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two win versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you enhance a excellent experienced squad that have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players that have played at the highest tier of club football and global football as you aim for additional trophies.

A Greater Manchester team has an non-professional veterans team with nine former top-flight players in their current roster.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Tier.

The roster this season boasts nine ex- Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 Premier League matches.

This high-profile squad also includes 222 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 scores in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home game versus defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour opening period triple.

The squad for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have secured fifteen significant honors and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 scores

Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and see are happy and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League players," said Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's has over 60 English caps.

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

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

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Christina Woods
Christina Woods

Maya Chen is a tech journalist and startup advisor with over a decade of experience covering Silicon Valley and global innovation hubs.