Meet this Sunday League Squad With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 win versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a outstanding experienced squad who have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Sign a group of former pro players who have played at the elite level of club football and global football as you aim for more honors.

A Manchester club boasts an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

The squad list this season features nine former Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite games.

This elite roster also boasts 222 Premier League goals and over 320 global appearances.

They include one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home game versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The squad for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have claimed fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Household Figures and International Stars

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

Ireland started playing for the side during pre-season this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

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

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

"The people who come and see are pleased and to give a day if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"The movement is what I'm looking for. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three wins from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"We held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

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

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who won the Top Tier title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Jennifer Long
Jennifer Long

A seasoned casino enthusiast and slot game analyst with over a decade of experience in the online gaming industry.