Introduce the Weekend Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Games

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

What can you boost a outstanding experienced team who have won consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of ex- pro players that have performed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you pursue further honors.

One Manchester club has an non-professional vets squad with nine former top-flight players in their current squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

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

Their roster this season features 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 top-flight games.

This elite roster also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field game against defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also includes former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have claimed 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland started playing for the side during pre-season this summer through good mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"Those people who come and see are happy and to give a day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

"I warn 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
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while Boyd hit five on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

"I think I was a bit starstruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

"Also Heskey got on and he's has over 60 English caps.

"We held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group literally haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Amanda Pearson
Amanda Pearson

Aria Vance is a cultural critic and art historian specializing in modern visual arts and digital media trends.