Meet this Sunday Division Squad Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 victory against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a stellar experienced side that have won consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Sign a raft of ex- professionals that have performed at the elite level of club and international soccer as you aim for further silverware.

A Manchester club has an amateur veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their active squad.

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

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Division.

Their lineup this campaign features nine ex- top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 elite appearances.

The high-profile team also contains over 220 top division goals and over 320 global caps.

They include one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their most recent home game against defending champions their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes former professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have secured 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Household Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish appearances, scoring 4 scores

Ireland started playing for the side in preseason this season through close mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"Those fans who come and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a bit different but then, I love running and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

"The running is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

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

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in over two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight stars," said the player.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got 60-odd England appearances.

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

"We really have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Tier title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

John Torres IV
John Torres IV

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle writer passionate about exploring how innovation shapes daily experiences.