Meet this Sunday Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Vets during a 6-2 triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you boost a excellent veteran side that have won consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a raft of former professionals who have competed at the top tier of club and international football as you pursue more silverware.

A Greater Manchester side boasts an non-professional veterans team with 9 former Premier League footballers in their present squad.

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

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

Their squad list this campaign includes nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

This star-studded team also contains 222 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

They feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus defending title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

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

In total, the former Premier League players have claimed 15 significant honors and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this summer through close mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for the club between 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who come and see are pleased and to make a day if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength 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 defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

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

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with three victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

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 tell his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," said the player.

"I think I was a little starstruck facing him to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Division title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Kathleen Murphy
Kathleen Murphy

Elias Vance is a tech consultant and digital strategist with over 12 years of experience in helping UK businesses adapt to technological changes.