Introduce this Weekend League Team Boasting Over 1,800 English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding veteran squad who have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Sign a group of former pro players that have played at the elite level of club and global football as you target more silverware.

One Greater Manchester club fields an amateur vets team with nine ex- top-flight players in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

The lineup this season includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 elite games.

The star-studded team also includes over 220 top division scores and over 320 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League players have claimed 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Irish caps, scoring four scores

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still love football and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight stars," said Barrow.

"I think I was a bit starstruck playing against him to be honest.

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

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

"Our group literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Premier Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Stephen Dixon
Stephen Dixon

A digital content creator specializing in video production and visual storytelling, with over five years of industry experience.