Introduce the Sunday League Club With Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

How can you enhance a outstanding experienced squad who have won back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting thirty victories from 32 games?

Recruit a raft of ex- professionals who have competed at the elite tier of club football and global football as you pursue additional trophies.

One Manchester side fields an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active squad.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Caps

The team Vets Over 35s are based in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Top Division.

The squad list this season includes 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 Premier League appearances.

This high-profile team also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 global appearances.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home match against reigning title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League footballers have claimed 15 major honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned six Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this season through close friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to join in.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for Everton and still goes to their home games, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

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

"If you still love football and you know you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who turn up and watch are happy and to make someone's moment if they see us playing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

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

"That's a little unusual but then, I love running and just move forward - I'm not defending that much," he said.

"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six goals on debut, Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Emile Heskey was.

He has appeared at 2 global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 top-flight 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 Figueroa to be honest.

"Also Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a solid twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"We really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a bunch of normal fellas.

"Now we can't wait for the return match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets side, who won the Top Tier title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a

Corey Green
Corey Green

A tech enthusiast and lifestyle blogger with a passion for sharing innovative ideas and practical advice.