Introduce the Sunday Division Team Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets in a 6-2 win versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent experienced side who have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a collection of former professionals that have competed at the top tier of club football and international football as you aim for further trophies.

A Greater Manchester side boasts an non-professional vets squad with 9 former top-flight players in their present squad.

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

The team Veterans Over-35s are located in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Top Tier.

The lineup this season features 9 former Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

The star-studded roster also contains over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

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

Collectively, the ex- Premier League players have won fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer sums of around £123 million.

Household Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this season through close friend and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

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

"The spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at the club, he made his first game at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in more than two hundred top-flight games.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"We competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Erin Gray
Erin Gray

Elena Hartwell is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for narrative craft and literary exploration.