Introduce this Weekend League Squad Boasting Over 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

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

How can you boost a stellar veteran side that have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from 32 matches?

Sign a raft of former professionals that have competed at the elite level of club and international football as you target additional trophies.

A Manchester side has an amateur veterans team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Tier.

Their lineup this campaign includes 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined over 1,800 elite appearances.

The high-profile roster also boasts 222 Premier League scores and 325 international appearances.

They feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for ÂŁ9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending champions their rivals and scored all six scores in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The team for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League footballers have claimed fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer fees of about ÂŁ123 million.

Household Figures and Global Players

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

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the side in preseason this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's good fun'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who come and see are happy and to make someone's day if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, he had his first game at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I love running and just move forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

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

Unreal Experience

In addition to the forward's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

The team are leading of the Top Division with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 England caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Samantha Henderson
Samantha Henderson

Elara is a tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their impact on society.