Meet the Weekend Division Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for the team Veterans during a six-two triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a excellent veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have played at the elite level of club football and international football as you pursue more honors.

A Greater Manchester club boasts an non-professional veterans team with 9 former Premier League footballers in their active squad.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are situated in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Top Tier.

The roster this season includes nine ex- Premier League players, with a total over 1,800 elite matches.

The star-studded squad also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

They feature one forward, who notched 37 scores in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their last home match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour first-half triple.

The roster for this campaign also features ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have won fifteen big trophies and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 scores

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

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for Everton from 2016 and 2020

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

"After that he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to make a day if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

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

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

Unreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group really haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Adam Banks
Adam Banks

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