Meet this Weekend Division Team Featuring Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

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

What can you boost a outstanding veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a raft of former professionals who have competed at the highest level of club football and global football as you pursue further honors.

A Greater Manchester side has an non-professional veterans team with nine former Premier League players in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Division.

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

The high-profile team also includes 222 top division scores and over 320 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two win - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

The roster for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have secured fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side during pre-season this season through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'come and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

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

"If you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to give someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his debut at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

"I think I was a bit awestruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really have not ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Matthew Horton
Matthew Horton

Sports analytics expert with a decade of experience in predictive modeling and betting strategy development.