Discover this Sunday League Squad Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a excellent experienced side that have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with thirty wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a group of former pro players who have played at the highest level of club football and international soccer as you aim for additional trophies.

One Manchester side has an non-professional veterans squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their current roster.

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

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

Their lineup this campaign features nine former Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The elite team also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad include one forward, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home match against reigning title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also includes former pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen major trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four scores

Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this summer through good friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

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

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When 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 people who come and see are happy and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit 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 attacking.

"The running is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

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

Unreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

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

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"We competed well for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets team, who won the Top Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Vanessa Perez
Vanessa Perez

Elara is a seasoned digital artist and tech enthusiast, sharing insights on blending creativity with modern technology.