Meet this Sunday Division Team Featuring 1,800 English Top Division Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans in a 6-2 win against their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you boost a outstanding veteran team that have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Recruit a raft of ex- professionals that have performed at the elite level of club football and international soccer as you pursue additional trophies.

One Greater Manchester team fields an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- top-flight players in their active roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

The team Veterans Over-35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets Division Premier Tier.

The squad list this campaign includes 9 former top-flight footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 top-flight appearances.

The elite team also contains over 220 top division scores and 325 international appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their most recent home-field game versus defending champions their rivals and netted all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also features former professionals such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have secured fifteen big trophies and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Names and International Players

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

Ireland started playing for the team in preseason this season through close friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Blue shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"The people who come and watch are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"That's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than 200 top-flight matches.

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

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's has over 60 England appearances.

"Our side held our own for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

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

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Top Division title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Megan Patton
Megan Patton

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