Meet the Sunday Division Team Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Veterans in a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a excellent veteran side that have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of former professionals who have competed at the highest tier of club and international soccer as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional veterans team with 9 former top-flight players in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

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

Their roster this campaign features nine ex- top-flight footballers, with a collective 1,801 Premier League matches.

The elite roster also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight footballers have claimed fifteen major honors and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Players

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

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this season through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He played for Everton between 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue kits - I thought 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?

"Those people who come and see are pleased and to give someone's day if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

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

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

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Tier with three victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in more than 200 top-flight matches.

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

"I think I was a bit awestruck playing against him to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not stopped talking about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the way 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 return fixture."

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Premier Division title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a

Regina Hale
Regina Hale

Elena is a seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering the UK casino industry and slot machine trends.