Meet the Sunday League Squad Boasting Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a six-two triumph against Collegiate Old Boys on 19 October (from left to right) - Oumar Niasse, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a stellar veteran side that have secured consecutive championships, including a double triumph with thirty wins from 32 games?

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

A Greater Manchester club has an amateur vets squad with 9 ex- top-flight players in their present lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

Their roster this campaign boasts nine former top-flight players, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded team also includes 222 top division goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad include one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for the team in their last home match versus defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also features former professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have secured fifteen significant trophies and transferred for combined transfer sums of about £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side during pre-season this season through close friend and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he told me we were facing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Blue shirts - I say this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who turn up and watch are happy and to make a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse made his first game at defender.

"That's a little different but then, I love running and just go forward - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Dreamlike' Feeling

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

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

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Wigan defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," said the player.

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

"Also Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English caps.

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

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

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Win the League'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition veterans team, who won the Premier Tier title the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Maria Benson
Maria Benson

Award-winning journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, delivering accurate and engaging news content.