Meet the Weekend Division Team Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two triumph against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a outstanding veteran team who have won consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Sign a collection of former professionals that have competed at the top level of club and global soccer as you target more honors.

One Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional vets squad with 9 former Premier League footballers in their active roster.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Tier.

The lineup this season boasts nine former Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

This high-profile squad also boasts 222 top division goals and 325 global caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 scores in over 100 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their last home game against defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The squad for this campaign also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have won 15 significant honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

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

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

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still love football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who come and watch are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

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

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

"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

'Surreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League games.

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

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got 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 tough.

"We literally haven't 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 playing a bunch of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

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

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

James Stephens
James Stephens

Riven is a passionate esports analyst and content creator, specializing in competitive gaming strategies and community engagement.