Discover this Weekend League Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans in a 6-2 win against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a outstanding veteran squad who have claimed consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 victories from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of former pro players who have performed at the elite tier of club and international football as you aim for more silverware.

One Greater Manchester side has an amateur veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are based in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 former Premier League players, with a total over 1,800 top-flight matches.

This elite squad also includes over 220 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

The squad include one forward, who scored 37 scores in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus defending champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The squad for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have claimed 15 major honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side in pre-season this season through close friend and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Everton kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he had his first game at full-back.

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

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

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

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

"Also 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 dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Victoria Evans
Victoria Evans

A seasoned gaming journalist and casino enthusiast with over a decade of experience covering online gambling trends and strategies.