Discover the Weekend Division Team Boasting 1,800 Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets during a six-two win against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a stellar veteran team that have secured consecutive championships, featuring a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have competed at the top tier of club and global football as you aim for additional trophies.

One Greater Manchester side has an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- top-flight players in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are based in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets Division Premier Tier.

Their lineup this season boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded roster also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game against reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six goals in a six-two victory - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes ex- pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight players have won 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in pre-season this summer through close friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'join and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and watch are pleased and to make a day if they see us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at defender.

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

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League games.

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

"I felt I was a bit awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

"Our side held our own for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We really haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Krystal Beck
Krystal Beck

Lena is a language education specialist with over a decade of experience teaching English to international students across Europe.