Meet the Weekend Division Club Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two triumph against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent veteran side who have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of ex- pro players that have competed at the highest tier of club football and global football as you aim for more silverware.

One Manchester team has an amateur veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their current lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Tier.

The roster this season features 9 former top-flight players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite games.

The elite team also boasts 222 Premier League goals and over 320 global appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus defending champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer sums of around £123 million.

Well-Known Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 goals

Ireland started playing for the team in preseason this summer through close mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

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

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

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to make someone's day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just move forward - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first match and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight matches.

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

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

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

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

"We literally have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who secured the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Jamie Short
Jamie Short

A seasoned analyst specializing in Asian and European gambling markets, with over a decade of experience in regulatory compliance and risk assessment.

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