Introduce the Weekend Division Club Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 victory against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a stellar experienced squad that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of ex- pro players who have played at the elite level of club and global football as you target additional honors.

One Greater Manchester club has an amateur vets squad with 9 former Premier League players in their current roster.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Veterans Over-35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Division.

The roster this campaign boasts nine former top-flight footballers, with a combined over 1,800 elite games.

This star-studded roster also includes over 220 top division scores and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six scores in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight players have claimed fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

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

Ireland started playing for the team during preseason this summer through good mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in the city and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The spectators who come and see are pleased and to give someone's day if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, he made his debut at defender.

"That's a little different but then, I enjoy running 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 attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Top Division with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"Our side competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We really have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of normal guys.

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Chelsea Edwards PhD
Chelsea Edwards PhD

Lena is a seasoned betting analyst with over a decade of experience in the industry, specializing in odds analysis and strategy development.