Introduce this Weekend Division Team With Over 1,800 Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two win against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a excellent experienced side that have claimed consecutive titles, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of former professionals that have competed at the highest tier of club and international soccer as you target further trophies.

A Manchester team has an non-professional veterans team with nine former Premier League players in their current lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

The lineup this season includes nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite matches.

This elite team also boasts over 220 top division goals and 325 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this season also includes ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have won 15 major honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland caps, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team during preseason this summer through close friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for Everton between 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is strange 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?

"The people who come and see are pleased and to make someone's day if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a little different but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

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

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

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

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

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"We literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who won the Top Division championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Jessica Jacobs
Jessica Jacobs

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