Meet the Sunday Division Team Featuring Over 1,800 Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans during a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a stellar veteran squad that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a group of former pro players that have performed at the top tier of club football and international soccer as you aim for further silverware.

One Manchester club boasts an amateur vets team with nine former top-flight players in their present lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are situated in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Division.

The squad list this season includes nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 Premier League matches.

The high-profile roster also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and over 320 international caps.

They include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes ex- pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed 15 big honors and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 scores

Ireland began playing for the side in pre-season this season through good mate and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and watch are happy and to make a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"It's a little different but then, I love running and just go forward - 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 seeking. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We literally haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Melissa Craig
Melissa Craig

Lifestyle curator and luxury travel enthusiast with a decade of experience in premium content creation.

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