Discover this Sunday League Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two victory 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 who have secured consecutive championships, including a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Bring in a collection of former pro players who have played at the highest level of club football and international soccer as you pursue further trophies.

A Greater Manchester club boasts an non-professional vets team with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their current lineup.

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

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

The roster this season features 9 ex- top-flight players, with a collective over 1,800 top-flight matches.

The elite squad also includes 222 Premier League scores and over 320 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field game against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have secured fifteen significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

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

"After that he informed me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"Those fans who come and watch are happy and to give a moment if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"That running is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

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

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," said the player.

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's got over 60 England caps.

"We held our own for a solid 20 mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was tough.

"We literally have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of regular fellas.

"Now we can't wait for the return match."

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Crystal Wright
Crystal Wright

An avid gamer and industry expert with over a decade of experience in online gaming and casino reviews.