Discover the Weekend Division Squad Boasting 1,800 English Top Division Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a six-two victory against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you enhance a stellar veteran team that have claimed consecutive championships, including a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals that have performed at the elite level of club and international soccer as you pursue further trophies.

One Greater Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans team with nine former Premier League players in their active squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

Their squad list this season includes nine former top-flight players, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

The star-studded team also contains over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched 37 scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their last home-field game versus defending title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 win - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed 15 big trophies and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland caps, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side during pre-season this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," commented the striker.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I say 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 choose?

"Those fans who turn up and see are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at the club, he had his first game at defender.

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

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

"That movement is what I'm after. It's good fun."

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with 3 wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side held our own for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a

Dr. Kelly Robles DDS
Dr. Kelly Robles DDS

A passionate gamer and tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in video game journalism and community building.