Meet this Weekend Division Squad Featuring 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two win against Collegiate Old Boys 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 30 victories from 32 games?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals who have played at the elite tier of club football and international football as you target additional trophies.

A Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their current squad.

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

The team Vets Over-35s are based in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Division.

The roster this season features nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a total over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The elite team also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the former Premier League players have claimed 15 significant honors and moved for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 scores

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this season through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"Those fans who come and watch are happy and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, he made his debut at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just move forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

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

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

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

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 top-flight matches.

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

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got 60-odd English appearances.

"Our side held our own for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Lisa Fisher
Lisa Fisher

Elara Vance is a digital media strategist and tech writer with over a decade of experience in content creation and industry analysis.