Meet this Sunday Division Team With Over 1,800 English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for the team Veterans during a six-two victory versus Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a stellar experienced squad who have secured back-to-back titles, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty wins from 32 games?

Recruit a group of ex- pro players that have performed at the elite level of club football and international soccer as you aim for more honors.

One Manchester team fields an non-professional veterans team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present roster.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

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

The squad list this season includes nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite matches.

This elite roster also includes over 220 top division scores and over 320 international appearances.

They include one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home game versus defending title holders their rivals and scored all six scores in a six-two victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The roster for this season also features former pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have won 15 significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during pre-season this season through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Division with 3 wins from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

"I think I was a bit starstruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

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Daniel Santiago

A professional blackjack strategist with over a decade of experience in UK casinos, specializing in game analysis and player coaching.