Discover the Weekend Division Club Featuring 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

How can you boost a outstanding veteran team who have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of former professionals that have competed at the top tier of club football and global soccer as you aim for more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League players in their active lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Tier.

Their squad list this campaign boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 top-flight games.

The star-studded roster also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global caps.

The squad include one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match versus defending champions their rivals and scored all six goals in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have secured fifteen significant honors and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team during pre-season this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

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

"If you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those people who turn up and see are pleased and to make a moment if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just move inside - I'm not staying back 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 good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

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

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

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Jason Marshall

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