Meet the Weekend Division Squad With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

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

What do you improve a outstanding experienced team that have won consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 victories from thirty-two games?

Sign a collection of ex- pro players who have competed at the top level of club football and international football as you pursue additional silverware.

A Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans team with nine former Premier League players in their current lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 International Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign boasts nine former Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

This high-profile roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who scored 37 scores in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The roster for this season also features former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have won fifteen big trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Players

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

Ireland began turning out for the side during preseason this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

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

"Then he told me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The people who turn up and see are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

"That's a little different but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not defending 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 after. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't stopped talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets side, who won the Premier Division championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Harold Kerr
Harold Kerr

A film critic and entertainment journalist with over a decade of experience covering Hollywood and indie cinema.