Discover this Sunday League Club With Over 1,800 Premier League Games

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

How do you boost a stellar veteran side that have won back-to-back titles, featuring a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former pro players who have performed at the highest tier of club and international soccer as you target more trophies.

One Greater Manchester side boasts an non-professional veterans squad with nine former top-flight footballers in their present roster.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Top Tier.

Their lineup this season boasts nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

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

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League players have claimed fifteen big honors and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side in pre-season this summer through close friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

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

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at defender.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go inside - 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 attacking.

"That movement is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

"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 competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Premier Tier championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Toni Sullivan
Toni Sullivan

A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in driving innovation and growth for businesses.