Discover the Weekend League Club With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

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

How can you improve a stellar experienced side that have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a raft of ex- pro players that have competed at the highest tier of club and global soccer as you target further silverware.

A Greater Manchester team boasts an amateur veterans squad with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their present squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

Their squad list this campaign includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The elite team also includes over 220 Premier League scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home match against defending title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - including a half-hour first-half triple.

The roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- top-flight players have claimed fifteen major trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of around £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Irish caps, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in pre-season this season through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

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

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over two hundred Premier League matches.

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

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"Our side held our own for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Nicholas Moore
Nicholas Moore

A seasoned sports analyst with over a decade of experience in betting strategies and odds analysis.