Meet this Sunday Division Squad With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding veteran team who have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from 32 games?

Sign a raft of former pro players that have played at the highest tier of club football and international soccer as you target further silverware.

One Greater Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine former top-flight players in their active squad.

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

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are situated in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

Their squad list this campaign features nine ex- top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The high-profile team also boasts 222 top division scores and over 320 global appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for his former club after joining them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The team for this campaign also includes ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward 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.

In total, the ex- top-flight players have claimed fifteen major trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Household Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team in preseason this summer through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"A friend Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"The spectators who come and watch are pleased and to make someone's day if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting 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 keep attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in three games for the side, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who won the Premier Division championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Judith Krause
Judith Krause

A Toronto-based technology journalist with 10+ years covering digital innovation and startup ecosystems across Canada.

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