Introduce this Weekend League Team With 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

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

What do you boost a stellar experienced team who have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Sign a collection of former pro players that have competed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you aim for further honors.

One Manchester club has an non-professional vets team with 9 former top-flight players in their current roster.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Division.

The lineup this season includes 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a collective over 1,800 elite games.

The high-profile roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field match versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour opening period triple.

The roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have secured fifteen significant honors and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Irish caps, netting 4 goals

Ireland began playing for the team in preseason this season through good friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he made his first game at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

Unreal Scenario

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

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a little starstruck facing him to be honest.

"Also Heskey got on and he's got 60-odd England appearances.

"Our side held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

"Our group literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of normal fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition vets team, who secured the Top Tier title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Jeremiah Parker
Jeremiah Parker

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle blogger passionate about sharing innovative ideas and practical advice for modern living.