Introduce the Sunday Division Team With Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

What do you boost a excellent veteran squad that have won back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with 30 wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a group of former pro players that have played at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you pursue additional trophies.

One Greater Manchester side boasts an amateur vets team with nine former Premier League players in their active roster.

222 Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are located in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Tier.

Their roster this season features nine former top-flight players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

This elite roster also boasts 222 top division goals and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes former pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- top-flight players have secured 15 major honors and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123m.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

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

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

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The people who come and watch are happy and to give someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at the club, he made his first game at defender.

"It's a little different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's enjoyable."

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

'Surreal Feeling

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 England caps.

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

"Our group literally haven't ceased 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 bunch of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Tabitha Finley
Tabitha Finley

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in sports betting and casino strategy, specializing in data-driven insights.