Meet this Weekend League Club Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Matches

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

What can you boost a stellar veteran squad that have won consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals that have played at the elite tier of club football and international soccer as you pursue additional honors.

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

222 Premier League Goals, 325 International Caps

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The lineup this campaign features 9 former top-flight players, with a total 1,801 Premier League matches.

The star-studded squad also boasts 222 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his debut for Wythenshawe in their last home-field match versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this season also includes ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have won 15 big honors and transferred for total transfer sums of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Ireland started playing for the side during preseason this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The people who come and see are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

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

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

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

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

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in three games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three victories from three and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight games.

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

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

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

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We really have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Jordan Maynard
Jordan Maynard

Elena Voss is an experienced journalist specializing in global affairs and economic reporting.