Meet this Weekend League Squad Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 win versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a excellent veteran side who have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of former professionals who have competed at the highest level of club football and global soccer as you pursue additional silverware.

One Greater Manchester club fields an non-professional veterans team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Division.

Their lineup this campaign features 9 former top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 Premier League games.

The high-profile roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in over 100 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

The squad for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen major honors and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

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

Ireland began turning out for the team during preseason this summer through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their home games, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

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

"Those fans who turn up and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in more than 200 top-flight games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

"I think I was a bit awestruck playing against him to be honest.

"Even Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

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

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

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

'We'll Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Steven Mcgee
Steven Mcgee

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