Discover this Weekend League Club Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

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

What can you boost a excellent experienced team who have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a collection of former pro players that have played at the highest level of club and global soccer as you pursue further honors.

One Greater Manchester side boasts an non-professional veterans team with 9 former top-flight players in their current squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 International Appearances

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

The squad list this season includes nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a collective 1,801 top-flight games.

The elite team also boasts 222 Premier League scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their last home-field game against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six scores in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also includes former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have claimed fifteen significant honors and transferred for total transfer sums of about £123m.

Famous Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 scores

Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this season through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and watch are happy and to give someone's day if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he made his first game at full-back.

"That's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

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

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Top Division with three wins from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a bit starstruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

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

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

William Evans
William Evans

Maya Chen is a geopolitical analyst and journalist with over a decade of experience covering international affairs and security issues.