Meet this Weekend League Club With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a six-two win versus their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you enhance a outstanding veteran squad that have secured consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players that have performed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you pursue more honors.

One Greater Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine former Premier League players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Tier.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 elite matches.

This elite roster also includes 222 top division scores and over 320 international appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two victory - including a half-hour first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have won fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer sums of around £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Irish appearances, netting 4 scores

Ireland began turning out for the side in preseason this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'join and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

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

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

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

"That movement 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 the forward's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Tier with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

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

"We really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Win the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Sherry Long
Sherry Long

Urban planner and sustainability advocate with over 15 years of experience in global city development projects.