Meet this Weekend Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 victory versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a stellar veteran squad that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have competed at the top tier of club and international soccer as you pursue further honors.

A Manchester club fields an amateur vets team with 9 former Premier League players in their active roster.

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

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

The roster this campaign includes 9 former top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded roster also includes 222 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game against defending champions their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The team for this season also includes former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have secured fifteen significant honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Household Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four scores

Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this summer through good friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for the club between 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

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

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue running.

"That movement is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with three wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two 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 these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

"I felt I was a little awestruck facing him to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Stacy Mccoy
Stacy Mccoy

Alexandra Reed is a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience covering global affairs and technology.