Introduce the Weekend Division Squad Featuring Nearly Two Thousand Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets in a six-two win against their opponents on October 19th (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you enhance a outstanding veteran squad who have secured consecutive titles, including a double triumph with thirty wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a raft of ex- pro players that have competed at the top level of club and international soccer as you target further trophies.

A Greater Manchester side boasts an amateur veterans squad with 9 ex- top-flight players in their active roster.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Tier.

Their roster this campaign features nine ex- Premier League players, with a collective over 1,800 top-flight games.

This star-studded roster also contains 222 top division goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League players have secured fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer fees of about £123m.

Famous Names and International Players

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

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team during pre-season this summer through good mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's good fun'," said the striker.

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

"If you still love football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who turn up and see are pleased and to give a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at defender.

"It's a little different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

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

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

'Surreal Experience

Along with Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

The team are top of the Top Division with 3 victories from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] got 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 tough.

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

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Win the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate vets side, who won the Top Tier championship last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 up and had a

Danielle Davis
Danielle Davis

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