Discover the Sunday League Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two triumph 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 can you boost a excellent veteran team that have claimed back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals that have played at the top tier of club football and global football as you target additional silverware.

A Manchester club fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their active lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Vets Over 35s are based in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Division.

Their lineup this season includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 top-flight matches.

This high-profile roster also includes over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a six-two victory - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight players have secured fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer sums of about £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

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

Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who come and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he had his first game at defender.

"That's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's six goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in more than 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," said Barrow.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

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

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

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Top Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

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Michael Lloyd

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