Discover this Weekend Division Club Featuring 1,800 Premier League Games

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

What can you improve a outstanding experienced team who have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from 32 matches?

Sign a collection of former pro players who have competed at the highest level of club and international soccer as you pursue more trophies.

A Greater Manchester team has an amateur vets team with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their current squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are based in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Division.

Their squad list this season features 9 former top-flight players, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite appearances.

This star-studded squad also boasts 222 top division scores and 325 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match versus reigning champions their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed 15 significant trophies and moved for total transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and Global Players

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

Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through close mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and still attends their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Blue kits - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who come and watch are happy and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

"It's a little different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move 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 good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

The team are top of the Top Division with 3 wins from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred top-flight games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these former top-flight players," said the player.

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

"Even Heskey came on and he's got 60-odd English appearances.

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

"We really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans side, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Michael Gill
Michael Gill

Lena Hartwell is a former statistician and lottery enthusiast who now writes about probability and smart play strategies.