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

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for the team Vets in a six-two victory versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent veteran squad that have secured consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a raft of former pro players who have performed at the elite tier of club and global football as you aim for further silverware.

A Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their present squad.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

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

Their squad list this season includes 9 former top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 top-flight matches.

The elite squad also boasts 222 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league side Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have secured 15 big honors and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side in preseason this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in the city and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who come and see are pleased and to make a day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at defender.

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

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

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

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

Unreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Division with 3 wins from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two 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 players," remarked Barrow.

"I think I was a little awestruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

"Even Heskey got on and he's has 60-odd England appearances.

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

"Our group really haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the journey home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the League'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who secured the Premier Division title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Cynthia Patel
Cynthia Patel

A passionate writer and mother sharing her experiences and advice on family life in Canada.

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