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

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a excellent experienced side who have secured back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of ex- pro players who have competed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you aim for more silverware.

A Manchester side fields an amateur vets team with nine ex- Premier League players in their present roster.

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

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Premier Division.

The roster this campaign boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 top-flight games.

This elite team also contains over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against defending champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen significant trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'join and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd hit five on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Division with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in more than two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really have not stopped talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Jill Burke
Jill Burke

A historian and writer passionate about preserving British cultural heritage through engaging storytelling and research.

September 2026 Blog Roll

Popular Post