Discover this Sunday Division Team Boasting Over 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a outstanding veteran side that have won consecutive championships, including a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Sign a raft of former professionals who have performed at the top level of club football and global soccer as you pursue further honors.

A Greater Manchester side fields an amateur vets team with 9 former Premier League players in their current squad.

222 Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are situated in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Tier.

The roster this season includes nine former Premier League footballers, with a collective over 1,800 Premier League games.

This elite team also boasts 222 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad include one forward, who notched 37 goals in over 100 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 game versus defending title holders their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes former pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed 15 significant trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of around £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish caps, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this season through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in the city and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for the club from 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen told me 'join and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who turn up and watch are happy and to make someone's day if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, he made his debut at full-back.

"That's a little different but then, I love running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Division with three victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

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

"It was spreading like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

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

"Our side held our own for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Amanda Lee
Amanda Lee

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about innovation and self-improvement, sharing experiences and knowledge.