Introduce this Sunday Division Team With 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a six-two triumph 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

What do you boost a outstanding veteran squad that have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a double triumph with 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a collection of former professionals who have competed at the highest tier of club and international soccer as you aim for more silverware.

A Manchester side has an amateur veterans team with 9 former Premier League players in their current squad.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

The squad list this season boasts nine ex- Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 Premier League matches.

The star-studded squad also boasts 222 top division scores and 325 global caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home game versus defending champions their rivals and netted all six goals in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes former pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have secured 15 big trophies and moved for total transfer sums of about £123m.

Household Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in preseason this summer through good mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still love football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

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

Such is the strength in depth at the club, he made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

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

Unreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three games for the side, while Boyd scored five on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

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

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

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

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

"Our group literally have not stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Tier title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Diane Ayala
Diane Ayala

Maya is a seasoned sports analyst with over a decade of experience in prop betting and statistical modeling.

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