Discover this Weekend Division Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 triumph 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 can you improve a excellent veteran team who have secured consecutive titles, featuring a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a group of ex- professionals that have played at the highest level of club and global soccer as you pursue more honors.

A Manchester team boasts an amateur vets squad with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their current roster.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Division.

The lineup this campaign features nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined 1,801 elite matches.

This high-profile team also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in 117 appearances for his former club after joining them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match against defending champions their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a half-hour opening period triple.

The roster for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have won fifteen big honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of around £123 million.

Household Figures and International Players

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

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this season through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

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

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

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

"The spectators who come and watch are pleased and to give someone's day if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

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

"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
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to the forward's six goals on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with 3 wins from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

"I felt I was a little starstruck playing against him to be honest.

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

"We held our own for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

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

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Division championship last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

Hannah Blake
Hannah Blake

A seasoned betting analyst with over a decade of experience in UK gambling markets, specializing in data-driven insights.