Introduce this Weekend League Club With Over 1,800 English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets during a 6-2 triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you enhance a excellent experienced squad that have claimed consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of ex- pro players who have competed at the top level of club and global football as you target additional silverware.

A Manchester side has an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign features nine ex- top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 top-flight appearances.

This elite team also contains over 220 Premier League scores and over 320 global appearances.

The squad include one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field match versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League players have claimed 15 major honors and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Irish caps, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side in pre-season this summer through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still love the game and you know 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 give someone's day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the strength in depth at the club, he made his debut at defender.

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

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

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

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

Unreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are top of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

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

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

"We held our own for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

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

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

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Brian Flores
Brian Flores

Elara Vance is a seasoned artisan and writer with over a decade of experience in blending traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation, sharing her expertise through detailed guides and thought-provoking articles.

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