Meet the Weekend Division Squad With 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

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

What can you enhance a stellar experienced side who have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Sign a collection of former pro players that have played at the top level of club and global soccer as you aim for further trophies.

A Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Division.

Their roster this campaign includes 9 former top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 elite matches.

This high-profile squad also includes over 220 Premier League goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for the team in their most recent home game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two win - including a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

The team for this season also includes former professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- top-flight footballers have won fifteen big trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Ireland started turning out for the side during preseason this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now attends their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"The people who turn up and see are pleased and to make someone's day if they see us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, he had his debut at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

"That running is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first match and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

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

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group literally have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Benjamin Anderson
Benjamin Anderson

A London-based graphic designer with over 10 years of experience in branding and digital art, passionate about sharing creative techniques.

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