Discover this Sunday League Squad With 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a excellent experienced squad that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a group of ex- professionals that have competed at the elite level of club and international soccer as you pursue more trophies.

A Greater Manchester team fields an amateur vets team with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Division.

Their roster this season features nine former Premier League players, with a combined 1,801 elite appearances.

This star-studded squad also boasts 222 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 games for his former club after joining them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured 15 significant trophies and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish appearances, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team during preseason this summer through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also had his debut against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"A mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"Those spectators who come and see are pleased and to give a moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

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

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," said the player.

"I think I was a little starstruck playing against him to be honest.

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

"Our side held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We really haven't stopped talking about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the journey home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Brittany Hess
Brittany Hess

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