Introduce the Sunday Division Club With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two win versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you enhance a stellar experienced team who have secured consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have competed at the elite level of club and international football as you target more trophies.

One Greater Manchester club has an non-professional veterans team with 9 former Premier League players in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

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

The lineup this season features nine ex- top-flight players, with a total 1,801 top-flight appearances.

The star-studded roster also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match against defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes former pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen major trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four goals

Ireland started turning out for the team during pre-season this season through close friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and still goes to their home games, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

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

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at defender.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love running 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 attacking.

"That running is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

"I felt I was a little starstruck facing him to be honest.

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

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

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Top Division title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Paul Kelley
Paul Kelley

A passionate traveler and writer sharing her global experiences and insights to inspire others.