Discover this Weekend League Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans in a six-two triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a excellent experienced team who have secured back-to-back championships, featuring a double triumph with 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a group of ex- professionals who have played at the elite level of club and international soccer as you pursue more honors.

A Manchester team fields an amateur vets squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Division.

The squad list this campaign boasts nine ex- Premier League players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite games.

The elite squad also contains over 220 top division goals and 325 international appearances.

They include one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The roster for this season also features ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have secured 15 major honors and moved for total transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 scores

Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this season through good mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and still goes to their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'come and play, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"Those spectators who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Unreal Scenario

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," said Barrow.

"I think I was a bit awestruck facing him to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We literally have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Gabrielle Bush
Gabrielle Bush

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and slot games across Canada.