Introduce this Sunday Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Matches

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

How can you improve a stellar experienced team who have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of ex- pro players who have played at the top tier of club football and international football as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their present roster.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are situated in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division.

Their roster this season boasts 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a total over 1,800 top-flight appearances.

The elite roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and over 320 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match versus defending champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features former professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight players have won 15 significant trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four scores

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

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who turn up and watch are happy and to make a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he had his first game at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's six goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with three victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's got over 60 England caps.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was tough.

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

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

William White
William White

A tech journalist and startup advisor based in Toronto, specializing in AI and digital transformation.