Meet the Weekend Division Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Matches

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

How can you boost a excellent veteran squad who have claimed consecutive titles, including a league-cup double with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a raft of former pro players that have played at the top level of club and global soccer as you aim for additional trophies.

One Greater Manchester side fields an amateur vets squad with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Goals, 325 Global Appearances

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

The lineup this season features nine former Premier League footballers, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League games.

The star-studded squad also contains 222 Premier League scores and 325 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their most recent home match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

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

Household Figures and Global Players

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

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side in preseason this season through close friend and current Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"If you still love football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who turn up and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at defender.

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

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's six goals on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

The team are top of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

"I think I was a little starstruck playing against him to be honest.

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got over 60 England appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Danny Hampton
Danny Hampton

A seasoned business analyst with over a decade of experience in international markets, specializing in digital transformation and economic forecasting.