Introduce the Weekend Division Team Boasting 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two win versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a outstanding experienced side who have secured back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with 30 victories from 32 games?

Recruit a raft of former pro players that have played at the top tier of club football and international soccer as you target more trophies.

One Manchester team fields an non-professional vets squad with 9 former top-flight players in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

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

The squad list this season includes nine former top-flight footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 elite games.

This high-profile team also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match versus reigning champions their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The squad for this campaign also features former pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have won fifteen major trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Household Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Republic of Ireland caps, netting four goals

Ireland began playing for the team in pre-season this season through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

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

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and watch are pleased and to make a day if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' 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
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Unreal Experience

Along with the forward's six goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 top-flight games.

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

"I think I was a little starstruck facing him to be honest.

"Even Heskey got on and he's got 60-odd English caps.

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Win the League'

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

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Rachael Hudson
Rachael Hudson

Wildlife biologist with a passion for sloth research and environmental advocacy, sharing insights from field studies in Central America.