Discover this Weekend Division Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a six-two win against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a excellent experienced team that have secured back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have performed at the highest tier of club and global soccer as you target further trophies.

A Greater Manchester team fields an non-professional veterans squad with nine former Premier League players in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are situated in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Tier.

The squad list this season features 9 former top-flight footballers, with a collective 1,801 Premier League appearances.

The elite team also contains over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for ÂŁ9m from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League players have secured fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately ÂŁ123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team during preseason this season through good friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

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

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

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel 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 pleased and to make someone's day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

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

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep attacking.

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's enjoyable."

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

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with 3 victories from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has 60-odd England caps.

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

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

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

"Now we can't wait for the second match."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Division title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Joyce Baker
Joyce Baker

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casinos, specializing in slot mechanics and player psychology.