Meet this Sunday Division Team Boasting Over 1,800 English Top Division Games

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

What can you improve a stellar experienced team who have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of former pro players that have played at the top tier of club football and international soccer as you target further trophies.

A Manchester side boasts an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former Premier League players in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign features nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League games.

The high-profile team also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

The team for this season also includes ex- pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have won fifteen big trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Well-Known Figures and International Players

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

Ireland began playing for the team in pre-season this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who come and see are happy and to make a day if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a little different but then, I love running 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 continue attacking.

"The running is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

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

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

"We held our own for a solid 20 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 mother and sibling on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who secured the Top Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Rachel Wright
Rachel Wright

A passionate writer and cultural enthusiast with a keen eye for emerging trends and vibrant storytelling.