Meet this Weekend Division Club With Over 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets during a 6-2 victory against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a stellar veteran team that have won back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players who have competed at the top level of club football and global football as you pursue more trophies.

A Manchester team fields an non-professional vets team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their current lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Tier.

The squad list this season boasts 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 elite matches.

This high-profile roster also contains 222 top division goals and 325 international appearances.

They include one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their last home-field game versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half triple.

The team for this season also includes former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have secured 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of about £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four scores

Ireland started playing for the side in pre-season this season through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their home games, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"The spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to make a moment if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

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

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's has over 60 English caps.

"Our side held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group literally haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

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

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Edwin Edwards
Edwin Edwards

A passionate writer and trend analyst with over a decade of experience in digital media and content creation.