Meet this Sunday Division Club With 1,800 English Top Division Games

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

What can you boost a excellent veteran team who have secured back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former professionals that have performed at the elite level of club football and international soccer as you pursue further silverware.

One Manchester side has an non-professional vets team with 9 former Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

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

The lineup this season includes 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 Premier League matches.

The elite roster also boasts 222 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the former Premier League footballers have secured 15 big honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this summer through close friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

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

"If you still love football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those people who come and watch are pleased and to make a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

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

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in 3 games for the side, while Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

The team are top of the Premier Division with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

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

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

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

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

"We literally have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Premier Tier title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Christopher Hardy
Christopher Hardy

A digital nomad and blockchain enthusiast exploring the intersection of art and technology.