Discover this Weekend League Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans in a six-two win against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a stellar veteran squad that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph boasting thirty wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a collection of ex- pro players who have competed at the top level of club and international soccer as you target more trophies.

A Greater Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their active roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

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

The squad list this campaign boasts 9 former Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League matches.

The star-studded team also includes 222 top division scores and 325 international caps.

The squad include one forward, who netted 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home game versus reigning champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also includes former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have claimed fifteen major trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Household Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four goals

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team during preseason this summer through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

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

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

"Those people who turn up and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they see us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

"That's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting and just move forward - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in over two hundred Premier League games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got 60-odd English appearances.

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents 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 second match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

Kristy Ray
Kristy Ray

A professional astrologer and tarot reader with over a decade of experience, specializing in spiritual guidance and cosmic interpretations.