Introduce the Sunday Division Club With 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 win against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a excellent veteran side who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with 30 wins from 32 games?

Sign a collection of former professionals who have competed at the highest tier of club football and global soccer as you aim for more honors.

A Manchester club fields an amateur veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The squad list this season boasts nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a collective 1,801 Premier League games.

This high-profile roster also contains 222 top division scores and 325 international caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home game versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The roster for this campaign also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have claimed 15 major honors and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 goals

Ireland began turning out for the team during pre-season this summer through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The fans who turn up and see are happy and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Division with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these former top-flight players," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Sara Shaw
Sara Shaw

A professional blackjack strategist with over a decade of casino experience, specializing in card counting and risk management.