Meet this Sunday Division Club With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans in a six-two victory against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a outstanding experienced team who have claimed consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of former professionals that have performed at the elite tier of club football and international soccer as you target further honors.

One Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with nine former top-flight footballers in their current lineup.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

Their roster this campaign boasts 9 ex- Premier League players, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

The high-profile team also includes 222 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad include one forward, who notched 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The team for this season also features ex- pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have won 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Household Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side in preseason this season through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"Those spectators who come and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he made his first game at full-back.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are top of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League games.

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

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

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

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

"Our group literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Julie Frost
Julie Frost

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and developing winning strategies for players worldwide.