Meet this Weekend League Squad Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a six-two triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a excellent experienced side that have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a raft of ex- professionals that have played at the top tier of club football and global football as you target further honors.

One Manchester side boasts an amateur vets team with 9 ex- Premier League players in their present squad.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Division.

Their roster this season boasts nine former Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 top-flight appearances.

The elite roster also boasts over 220 top division scores and 325 international caps.

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

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes former professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have won fifteen big honors and moved for total transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during preseason this season through close friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The fans who come and watch are pleased and to make a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

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

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

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

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

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one game up front.

The team are top of the Top Tier with three wins from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson

A seasoned gaming journalist and industry analyst with over a decade of experience covering esports and game development trends.