Introduce this Weekend League Club Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

How can you enhance a stellar veteran team that have won back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of former professionals that have played at the elite level of club and international football as you target further silverware.

A Manchester club boasts an non-professional vets team with 9 ex- top-flight players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Tier.

Their squad list this season includes 9 former top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 Premier League games.

The elite team also contains over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global appearances.

They feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league club Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features ex- pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have secured fifteen major honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Famous Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this season through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

"If you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The people who come and see are pleased and to make someone's day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a little different but then, I love sprinting and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Top Division with three wins from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has over 60 English caps.

"Our side held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Top Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Matthew Browning
Matthew Browning

Maya is a seasoned IT consultant with over 12 years of experience in cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity, passionate about helping businesses optimize their digital operations.