Discover the Weekend Division Team Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a outstanding experienced side who have secured back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of ex- pro players that have played at the elite tier of club and global soccer as you target further honors.

One Greater Manchester side boasts an amateur vets team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are situated in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

Their roster this campaign boasts 9 former top-flight footballers, with a combined 1,801 Premier League appearances.

The star-studded team also contains 222 Premier League goals and over 320 international caps.

They feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have claimed fifteen big trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Household Figures and Global Players

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

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side in pre-season this summer through good mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Everton kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy the game and you know you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

"The fans who turn up and see are pleased and to give a day if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

"I tell 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 good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with three wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as playing in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," remarked the player.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

"We competed well for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition veterans side, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

Susan Lewis
Susan Lewis

Eleanor Vance is a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK politics and social affairs for major publications.