Discover the Sunday Division Club Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans during a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you boost a excellent veteran team that have won consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Recruit a raft of ex- pro players who have played at the top tier of club and international soccer as you aim for further trophies.

One Manchester team fields an non-professional vets squad with 9 former Premier League footballers in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 International Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign features 9 former Premier League players, with a collective nearly 1,800 top-flight games.

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

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home match versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also features ex- pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have secured 15 major trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in preseason this summer through good friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The fans who come and see are pleased and to make a day if they see us playing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at defender.

"It's a little different but then, I love running and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I warn my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Tier with three victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over two hundred top-flight games.

"It was going round like a rumor they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

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

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

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

"Our group literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Emily Orr
Emily Orr

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino trends and player psychology.