Meet the Weekend Division Squad With 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding experienced squad who have won consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty wins from 32 games?

Sign a group of ex- pro players that have played at the top level of club and international football as you target further trophies.

A Manchester side boasts an non-professional veterans team with 9 ex- top-flight players in their active squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Tier.

The roster this season features nine ex- Premier League players, with a total 1,801 elite appearances.

The high-profile squad also includes over 220 top division scores and 325 global caps.

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

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features ex- pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have won fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Figures and International Players

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

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this season through good mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

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

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

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

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"That's a little different but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

"The running is what I'm after. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Patrick Porter MD
Patrick Porter MD

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in tech consulting and data-driven innovation.

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