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

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Vets in a six-two triumph against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a outstanding veteran squad that have secured back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former pro players that have competed at the top level of club and international soccer as you pursue more trophies.

One Manchester team has an amateur vets squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

Their squad list this season includes nine former top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 top-flight games.

This elite roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and 325 global caps.

The squad include one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field game against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have secured 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Household Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in pre-season this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

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

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and watch are pleased and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

Along with the forward's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a bit awestruck facing him to be honest.

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

"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

"We literally haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets team, who won the Top Division title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Lisa Johnson
Lisa Johnson

Emily is a tech enthusiast and lifestyle writer with a passion for exploring how innovation shapes our everyday experiences.