Discover this Sunday League Squad Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

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

How can you enhance a stellar experienced side that have won back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of ex- pro players that have played at the top level of club and global soccer as you aim for further silverware.

A Greater Manchester team has an non-professional veterans squad with nine ex- Premier League players in their current lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 International Appearances

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

The squad list this campaign includes 9 former top-flight footballers, with a total 1,801 elite games.

This star-studded team also contains 222 top division goals and over 320 international caps.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight players have secured 15 significant honors and moved for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring four goals

Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this summer through close mate and present team player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still love football and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those people who come and see are happy and to make a day if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"It's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored five on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with three victories from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as playing in over 200 Premier League games.

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

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has over 60 English caps.

"We held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"Our group really have not stopped talking 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 facing a bunch of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Top Tier championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Ryan Roy
Ryan Roy

Marcus is a gaming analyst with over a decade of experience covering the UK iGaming market and regulatory developments.

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