Discover the Sunday League Team Boasting 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a six-two win versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a stellar experienced team who have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 victories from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of ex- professionals who have played at the highest level of club football and global football as you target additional honors.

A Manchester club has an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former Premier League players in their present roster.

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

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are located in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Division.

Their lineup this season features nine former top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 elite matches.

The elite team also contains over 220 top division goals and 325 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home match against reigning champions their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have won fifteen significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Famous Names and International Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good mate and present team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"If you still love football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to pose us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

"That's a little different but then, I love sprinting and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' 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 full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three games for the side, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

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

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as playing in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"We competed well for a solid twenty minutes 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 journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

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

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Karen Hawkins
Karen Hawkins

A dedicated cat advocate and writer based in Toronto, sharing years of experience in feline care and rescue.