Meet this Weekend Division Team With Over 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 win against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a excellent experienced squad that have claimed consecutive championships, including a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have played at the top level of club football and global football as you pursue further trophies.

One Manchester team has an amateur vets team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are situated in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Division.

Their roster this season features 9 former Premier League players, with a combined nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded squad also contains over 220 top division scores and over 320 global appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features former professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have won 15 significant trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of around £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Irish caps, netting four scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in preseason this summer through close friend and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

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

"After that he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"Those fans who turn up and watch are pleased and to give someone's day if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

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

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

"That movement is what I'm after. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Experience

Along with Cisse's six goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three games for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," said the player.

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

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

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

"We really have not stopped talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Tier title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Regina Snyder
Regina Snyder

Maritime journalist with over a decade of experience covering global shipping trends and port operations.