Meet this Weekend Division Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

How do you improve a excellent experienced squad that have claimed back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a group of ex- professionals who have competed at the highest tier of club and global soccer as you aim for further silverware.

A Greater Manchester side boasts an amateur vets squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their current roster.

222 Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Vets Over 35s are situated in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Division.

Their squad list this season features 9 former top-flight footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

The high-profile squad also boasts over 220 top division scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their last home-field match against reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features former pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have claimed fifteen major trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123 million.

Well-Known Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Irish appearances, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side during preseason this summer through close mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

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

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise 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 play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and see are happy and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

Unreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in more than two hundred top-flight games.

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

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English caps.

"Our side held our own for a solid twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Jennifer Allison
Jennifer Allison

Elara is a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience covering global affairs and digital trends, known for her sharp insights.