Discover this Weekend Division Team Boasting 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for the team Veterans in a six-two triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a stellar veteran squad that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a collection of ex- professionals who have performed at the highest tier of club and global soccer as you target further silverware.

One Manchester club fields an non-professional vets squad with 9 former top-flight players in their current squad.

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

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

The roster this campaign boasts nine former top-flight players, with a total over 1,800 Premier League games.

The star-studded squad also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field 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.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight players have secured fifteen big trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish caps, scoring four scores

Ireland started playing for the team during preseason this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The people who come and watch are happy and to give a moment if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

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

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with Cisse's six goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Top Division with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 top-flight games.

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

"I think I was a bit awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

"Also Heskey came on and he's got 60-odd England appearances.

"We competed well for a good 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

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

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Premier Tier championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Shannon Walter
Shannon Walter

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino trends and player psychology.