Discover this Weekend Division Squad Featuring Over 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 victory against their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a excellent experienced side that have won back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Sign a group of former professionals who have competed at the elite tier of club and international football as you pursue more silverware.

One Manchester team fields an amateur veterans team with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their present roster.

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

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

Their squad list this campaign features nine former top-flight footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

The elite team also boasts 222 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

They include one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

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

Together, the former top-flight players have secured fifteen significant honors and transferred for total transfer fees of about £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side in preseason this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, he had his first game at full-back.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Unreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with 3 victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's got over 60 England appearances.

"We held our own for a solid 20 minutes 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 sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Nicole Watson
Nicole Watson

Tech journalist with a decade of experience covering AI innovations and digital transformation across European markets.