Introduce this Weekend Division Team With 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 October 19th (from left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a excellent experienced side who have won back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former professionals who have competed at the top tier of club and global soccer as you target additional honors.

A Greater Manchester club has an non-professional vets squad with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

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

Their roster this season boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

This high-profile roster also includes 222 Premier League scores and over 320 international appearances.

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

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two victory - including a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured fifteen big trophies and moved for total transfer fees of around £123 million.

Famous Figures and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in pre-season this season through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I thought this is strange 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?

"The spectators who turn up and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at defender.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's six goals on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as playing in more than 200 top-flight games.

"It was going round like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has over 60 England caps.

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

"Our group literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who won the Top Tier championship last season, together with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Alyssa Hall
Alyssa Hall

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on society.