Introduce the Sunday Division Squad Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two win 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

How can you boost a outstanding veteran team who have won consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 games?

Recruit a group of ex- professionals that have performed at the highest level of club football and global football as you aim for additional silverware.

One Manchester team fields an amateur veterans team with nine ex- Premier League players in their active roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Division.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 former Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded squad also contains over 220 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

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

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League players have won fifteen big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 scores

Ireland began turning out for the side during preseason this season through good mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now attends their home games, also had his first appearance versus 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 from 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

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

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

"Those people who turn up and watch are happy and to give someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy running and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

"The movement is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

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

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," said the player.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We really have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Roberta Jones
Roberta Jones

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