Introduce this Weekend League Squad Boasting 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets during a six-two victory against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a excellent experienced side that have claimed consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a raft of former pro players that have performed at the highest level of club and international soccer as you target additional silverware.

A Manchester team fields an amateur veterans team with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their present squad.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Premier Division.

The lineup this season boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a collective over 1,800 top-flight games.

This star-studded team also boasts 222 top division goals and 325 global caps.

The squad include one forward, who notched thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home game against defending champions their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the ex- top-flight players have won 15 major trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123 million.

Household Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish appearances, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this summer through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure 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 enjoy running and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

"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

Unreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with three wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

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

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"Our side held our own for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We really haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Win the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate vets side, who won the Top Tier championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Laura Campbell
Laura Campbell

Lena is a career coach with over a decade of experience helping professionals unlock their potential through tailored growth strategies.