Introduce this Sunday League Club Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 win against their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent experienced side that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a collection of ex- professionals that have competed at the top tier of club football and international football as you pursue more honors.

One Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Tier.

The squad list this season features nine ex- Premier League players, with a total 1,801 Premier League appearances.

The elite team also includes over 220 top division goals and 325 global caps.

They feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match against reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also features ex- pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have claimed fifteen big honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four goals

Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this summer through close friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who turn up and see are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his debut at defender.

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue running.

"The running is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

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

Dreamlike' Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Premier Division with three wins from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," said Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

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

"Now we can't wait for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Derek Romero IV
Derek Romero IV

A cybersecurity specialist with over 10 years of experience in IT infrastructure and data protection.