Meet the Sunday Division Squad Featuring 1,800 Premier League Games

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

How do you enhance a stellar experienced side who have secured back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of ex- professionals that have performed at the top tier of club and international soccer as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with nine ex- Premier League players in their active lineup.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans Division Top Tier.

Their lineup this campaign boasts nine former Premier League footballers, with a combined over 1,800 top-flight appearances.

This star-studded squad also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 international appearances.

They include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field game against defending title holders their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two victory - including a half-hour first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former Premier League footballers have won fifteen major trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Household Names and International Players

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

Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this season through good friend and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A friend Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who turn up and see are happy and to make a moment 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 structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at defender.

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

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

"The running is what I'm after. It's enjoyable."

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

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored five on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are top of the Premier Division with 3 victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in over 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was going round like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a man sent off and it was hard.

"Our group literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular fellas.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans side, who won the Top Division title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 ahead and had a

Lance Schultz
Lance Schultz

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience, specializing in AI ethics and cybersecurity trends across global markets.