Discover the Sunday League Club Featuring 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets during a six-two victory against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (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 who have won consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players who have performed at the highest tier of club football and global soccer as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester club has an non-professional veterans squad with nine former top-flight players in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

The lineup this season features 9 ex- Premier League players, with a combined nearly 1,800 top-flight games.

The star-studded squad also boasts 222 top division goals and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed 15 significant honors and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Household Figures and International Players

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

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team during pre-season this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

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

"The people who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's day if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at defender.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Amber Brown
Amber Brown

A seasoned construction engineer with over 15 years of experience in UK infrastructure projects, specializing in sustainable building practices and regulatory compliance.