Discover the Weekend League Team With 1,800 Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a outstanding experienced team who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a collection of former professionals who have played at the highest tier of club and international soccer as you target further silverware.

One Greater Manchester side has an amateur vets team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

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

The roster this campaign features 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a combined 1,801 Premier League appearances.

This elite roster also contains over 220 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who notched 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home match against defending title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the former top-flight footballers have secured 15 big trophies and moved for total transfer sums of about £123 million.

Household Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Irish caps, scoring 4 goals

Ireland began turning out for the side during pre-season this summer through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League matches for Everton and still attends their home games, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and see are pleased and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

"That's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Unreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his first match and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than 200 Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English caps.

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

"We really have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier championship last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Justin White
Justin White

Lena Visser is a seasoned writer with a passion for exploring the intersection of technology and everyday life, bringing fresh perspectives to a global audience.

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