Meet this Weekend Division Club With Over 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans in a six-two victory versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a outstanding veteran side that have won back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of former professionals who have performed at the elite tier of club and global football as you pursue more silverware.

A Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present roster.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

The roster this campaign includes 9 former top-flight footballers, with a total over 1,800 elite games.

This high-profile team also contains 222 top division goals and over 320 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 games for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match versus defending title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen major honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through good friend and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"If you still love football and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

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

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a little different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go 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 attacking.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, 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 think I was a little awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

"Even Heskey came on and he's got 60-odd English appearances.

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

"Our group really have not stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Amy Wallace
Amy Wallace

A passionate writer and lifestyle enthusiast, sharing stories and tips to inspire creativity and mindful living.