Discover the Weekend Division Squad With 1,800 Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a six-two win versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a excellent experienced side that have secured consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from thirty-two games?

Sign a raft of ex- professionals who have performed at the highest level of club football and international soccer as you aim for further silverware.

One Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans team with 9 former top-flight players in their present squad.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are situated in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Division.

Their lineup this season boasts 9 former Premier League players, with a total nearly 1,800 elite games.

This star-studded squad also boasts 222 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

They include one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their most recent home game versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also includes former pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have claimed 15 significant honors and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Irish appearances, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The people who turn up and watch are happy and to make a moment if they see us playing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are top of the Top Division with 3 wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in more than 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

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

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

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

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager manages the opposition veterans side, who secured the Top Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a

Lisa Watson
Lisa Watson

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino reviews and player strategy development.