Introduce the Weekend Division Club With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 triumph against their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a excellent experienced team who have secured back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Sign a group of former pro players who have competed at the elite level of club and global football as you target further trophies.

One Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former Premier League players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

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

The lineup this season features nine former Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The high-profile team also boasts over 220 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who scored 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home match against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight players have won 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Household Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in preseason this summer through close friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now attends their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for the club from 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who come and see are pleased and to give someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy running and just go 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 attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

William Hughes
William Hughes

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