Meet the Sunday Division Club Boasting 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 victory versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a stellar veteran squad that have secured back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of former professionals that have played at the top tier of club football and global football as you aim for more honors.

A Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional vets squad with nine former top-flight players in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division.

The lineup this season includes nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 top-flight appearances.

This star-studded team also boasts over 220 top division scores and 325 global caps.

They feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against defending title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes former pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have won 15 big honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four scores

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

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

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

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

"The fans who come and see are happy and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

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

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

"The running is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for the side, while Boyd hit five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

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

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

"I think I was a little awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

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

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

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Jesus Fletcher
Jesus Fletcher

A tech journalist and business strategist with over a decade of experience covering global markets and digital transformation.

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