Introduce this Sunday Division Squad With 1,800 English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans during a six-two victory against their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a outstanding experienced team who have claimed consecutive championships, featuring a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Sign a group of former pro players that have played at the elite tier of club and international football as you pursue further trophies.

One Manchester club fields an non-professional vets squad with 9 ex- Premier League players in their present squad.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Division.

Their lineup this season includes 9 former Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 top-flight games.

This high-profile team also boasts 222 Premier League scores and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

The team for this season also features ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have claimed fifteen significant honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland started playing for the side in pre-season this season through good friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who turn up and see are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, he had his debut at full-back.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

"That movement is what I'm looking for. It's enjoyable."

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

Unreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with three victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

"I think I was a bit awestruck facing him to be honest.

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got 60-odd English caps.

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

"Our group really haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets team, who won the Top Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Javier Hess
Javier Hess

Elara is a tech journalist and gaming enthusiast with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital entertainment trends.