Introduce the Sunday Division Team Featuring Over 1,800 English Top Division Games

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

What can you boost a excellent experienced team who have secured back-to-back titles, featuring a double triumph with 30 wins from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former professionals who have played at the elite level of club and international football as you target more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- Premier League players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

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

The lineup this season boasts nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 elite matches.

This elite roster also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 international caps.

They feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home match versus defending title holders their rivals and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

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

In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured 15 significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Household Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team during pre-season this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse played for Everton between 2016 and 2020

"A friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The spectators who turn up and see are happy and to make a day if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his debut at defender.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

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

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

"I felt I was a little awestruck playing against him to be honest.

"Even Heskey got on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

"We really have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets team, who won the Top Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Kyle Carter
Kyle Carter

A seasoned gambling journalist with over a decade of experience covering UK casinos and slot innovations.