Meet the Weekend Division Squad Boasting Over 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Veterans during a six-two win against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a outstanding veteran team who have secured back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former pro players who have played at the elite level of club and international football as you target additional trophies.

One Greater Manchester team boasts an amateur vets team with 9 ex- top-flight footballers in their present squad.

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

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

The roster this season includes nine ex- Premier League players, with a total 1,801 top-flight games.

This star-studded team also includes over 220 Premier League scores and over 320 international appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their last home match versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League players have secured 15 major honors and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in preseason this season through good friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Blue kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who turn up and watch are pleased and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight games.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

"I think I was a bit awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

"Even Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd England caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Lisa Parker
Lisa Parker

A certified mindfulness coach with over a decade of experience in meditation and wellness practices.

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