Introduce the Weekend Division Club Featuring Over 1,800 Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets during a 6-2 win against Collegiate Old Boys on October 19th (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What do you improve a excellent veteran squad who have won consecutive titles, including a double triumph with 30 victories from 32 matches?

Sign a raft of former pro players that have performed at the top tier of club football and global football as you target further honors.

A Manchester side fields an non-professional vets team with nine ex- Premier League footballers in their present squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Division.

Their lineup this campaign includes 9 former top-flight footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 elite matches.

This star-studded team also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched 37 scores in over 100 appearances for his former club after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field match versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six goals in a 6-2 win - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also includes former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League players have claimed fifteen big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Figures and International Stars

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

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

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

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

"Those spectators who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at defender.

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

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

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

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

Unreal Experience

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Division with 3 wins from three and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the flank for the opposition, came up against former Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

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

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

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

"Our side held our own for a good 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We really haven't ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Phillip Griffin
Phillip Griffin

A seasoned gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering esports and indie games, passionate about fostering inclusive gaming communities.