Discover the Weekend Division Club With Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans in a 6-2 triumph versus Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you improve a outstanding experienced team that have won consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Sign a collection of ex- professionals who have performed at the elite level of club and international soccer as you aim for additional silverware.

One Manchester team has an amateur veterans team with 9 former Premier League footballers in their current lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

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

Their squad list this season boasts nine former Premier League footballers, with a combined 1,801 elite matches.

The elite roster also includes 222 Premier League goals and 325 international caps.

They feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his debut for the team in their last home-field game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes former pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have secured 15 significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 goals

Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

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

"Then he told me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and see are pleased and to make a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced ex- Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

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

"I think I was a little starstruck playing against him to be honest.

"Even Heskey came on and he's has over 60 England caps.

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mother 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 guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the opposition vets side, who won the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Justin Jones
Justin Jones

Maya is a seasoned product reviewer and lifestyle blogger with a passion for uncovering the best in consumer tech and luxury items.