Discover this Weekend League Team With Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans during a six-two win against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding experienced team that have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Sign a group of ex- pro players that have played at the elite tier of club and global soccer as you pursue further trophies.

One Manchester club boasts an non-professional veterans squad with nine former Premier League players in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets Division Premier Tier.

Their roster this campaign features 9 former Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 elite appearances.

The star-studded roster also contains over 220 top division goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 scores in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features former pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight players have claimed 15 major trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Household Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during preseason this summer through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and still goes to their home games, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

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

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

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

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

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank 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 played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," said the player.

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

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

"We held our own for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of normal fellas.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Tier title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Scott Miller
Scott Miller

Evelyn is a sustainability advocate and minimalist lifestyle coach based in London, sharing practical tips for eco-conscious living.