Introduce the Weekend League Squad Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

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

What do you boost a stellar veteran team who have won back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a collection of ex- professionals who have played at the elite tier of club and global football as you pursue more honors.

One Manchester team fields an amateur vets team with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Tier.

Their roster this campaign features 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite matches.

This elite squad also boasts 222 top division goals and over 320 global caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home game against defending title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The roster for this season also includes former professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight players have secured 15 significant trophies and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during preseason this summer through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now attends their home games, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's good fun'," said the striker.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The people who come and watch are happy and to make a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his debut at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for the side, while Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for Honduras, in as well as playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

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

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

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

"Our side competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of normal fellas.

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

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Sandra Martinez
Sandra Martinez

A financial analyst with over a decade of experience in market trends and tech innovations, passionate about demystifying complex topics for readers.