Introduce the Sunday Division Squad With 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Veterans during a 6-2 triumph against their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, another, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you improve a stellar experienced squad who have claimed back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a collection of former professionals that have competed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you pursue further trophies.

A Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional vets squad with 9 former top-flight players in their current squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

Their squad list this season features nine ex- top-flight players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League matches.

The elite squad also boasts 222 Premier League scores and over 320 international appearances.

They include one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from German league side SC Freiburg in 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home game versus reigning title holders their rivals and netted all six scores in a six-two win - featuring a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's team for this campaign also includes ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League players have claimed fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, netting four scores

Ireland began playing for the team in pre-season this summer through good friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then invited additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in the city and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"A mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who come and see are happy and to make a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

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

"It's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just go forward - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first match and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one game as a striker.

The team are leading of the Premier Tier with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

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

He has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 top-flight games.

"It was going round like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

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

"We literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was calling 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 bunch of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We scored one-nil ahead and had a

Taylor Chandler
Taylor Chandler

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