Meet this Weekend League Club With Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans during a 6-2 win against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a stellar veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, featuring a double triumph with thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of former professionals that have competed at the highest level of club and global soccer as you aim for more trophies.

One Manchester club fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- top-flight players in their present squad.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are situated in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

The lineup this season includes 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 top-flight matches.

This star-studded roster also boasts over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The squad for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- top-flight players have secured 15 major trophies and moved for total transfer sums of about £123 million.

Household Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish appearances, netting four goals

Ireland began playing for the side in pre-season this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to participate.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends their home games, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

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

"When you still love the game and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who turn up and see are happy and to give someone's moment if they see us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not staying' 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 full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," said the player.

"I think I was a bit starstruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

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

"We really have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager manages the opposition veterans team, who won the Top Division championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Frances Howard
Frances Howard

A passionate community advocate and writer dedicated to sharing local stories and fostering neighborhood engagement.