Discover this Weekend Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Veterans during a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a excellent veteran squad who have claimed back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 matches?

Sign a collection of former pro players who have played at the highest level of club and international football as you aim for more silverware.

A Greater Manchester side fields an amateur veterans team with nine former Premier League players in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 International Caps

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

The lineup this campaign includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a combined 1,801 elite games.

The high-profile roster also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home match versus reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes ex- professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder 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 top-flight footballers have secured 15 major honors and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Irish appearances, scoring 4 goals

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this season through good friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He featured for the club between 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, he had his debut at defender.

"It's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

"That movement is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's six goals on debut, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

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

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Win the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Top Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Sarah Bell
Sarah Bell

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle blogger passionate about sharing innovative ideas and personal experiences to inspire others.