Discover the Sunday Division Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a six-two triumph against their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a excellent veteran side who have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a group of former professionals that have performed at the highest level of club and global football as you aim for further honors.

One Greater Manchester team fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active roster.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division.

The lineup this season boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a collective over 1,800 elite appearances.

This high-profile team also boasts over 220 top division goals and over 320 global appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have won 15 significant trophies and moved for total transfer fees of around £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

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

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side in preseason this season through good friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

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

"Then he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"Those fans who come and see are pleased and to give a day if they see us playing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

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

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

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

Unreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

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

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's got 60-odd English appearances.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

David Hopkins
David Hopkins

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