Introduce the Sunday Division Squad Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two win against their opponents 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 outstanding experienced team who have won back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players who have performed at the elite level of club and international soccer as you aim for more trophies.

A Manchester club fields an amateur veterans team with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

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

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are situated in southern the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Tier.

Their squad list this campaign includes nine ex- Premier League players, with a total 1,801 top-flight matches.

The elite roster also includes 222 top division scores and over 320 international caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 games for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home match versus reigning champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have won fifteen big honors and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Irish appearances, netting four scores

Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through good mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The people who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to the forward's six goals on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

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

He has played at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

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

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's got 60-odd England caps.

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

"We really haven't stopped talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Top Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

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