Discover the Weekend Division Club Boasting Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for the team Vets during a six-two win versus their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you boost a stellar experienced team who have won back-to-back championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former professionals who have performed at the top level of club and international football as you target more trophies.

One Manchester team has an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- top-flight players in their current roster.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign boasts 9 ex- Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 elite games.

The elite squad also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 international appearances.

They include one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game against reigning champions their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The team for this season also features ex- pros such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have won fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Well-Known Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish appearances, netting four scores

Ireland began turning out for the team during pre-season this summer through close friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for the club from 2016 and 2020

"A mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who come and watch are pleased and to make a moment if they watch us competing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

So great is the bench strength at the club, he had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Feeling

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced former Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got 60-odd England caps.

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

"We really haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who won the Premier Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Natasha Morales
Natasha Morales

Lisa is a lifestyle coach and wellness writer passionate about helping others find balance and joy.