Introduce this Sunday Division Team Boasting 1,800 English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets in a 6-2 triumph against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a outstanding experienced team who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players that have competed at the highest level of club football and international soccer as you target additional honors.

A Greater Manchester team boasts an amateur veterans squad with 9 former Premier League players in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

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

The roster this season boasts 9 former top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 Premier League games.

This star-studded squad also contains 222 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending champions their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

The team for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have secured fifteen major honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four goals

Ireland started playing for the side in pre-season this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The people who turn up and see are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a little different but then, I love running and just move inside - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 World Cups for Honduras, in as well as featuring in more than 200 top-flight games.

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

"I think I was a bit awestruck facing him to be honest.

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

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

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition vets side, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Walter Burnett
Walter Burnett

Elara Voss is a seasoned urban explorer and storyteller, uncovering the secrets of cities around the world.