Meet this Weekend League Squad Featuring 1,800 Premier League Appearances

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

How do you boost a outstanding experienced team who have claimed back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from 32 games?

Sign a collection of former professionals who have performed at the highest level of club football and international soccer as you pursue additional honors.

A Greater Manchester team fields an non-professional veterans team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active roster.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 International Appearances

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

The lineup this campaign includes nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 top-flight appearances.

This high-profile team also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home match versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a six-two win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have secured 15 significant trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, netting 4 goals

Ireland began playing for the side in preseason this season through close mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"Those spectators who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one match up front.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

"I think I was a bit awestruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

"Also Heskey got on and he's has 60-odd England appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We really haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who won the Premier Tier title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Alex Boyle
Alex Boyle

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