Discover the Sunday Division Team With 1,800 Premier League Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for Wythenshawe Vets during a six-two win against their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you improve a outstanding veteran team who have claimed consecutive titles, including a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a group of ex- pro players who have performed at the highest tier of club and global football as you aim for further honors.

One Greater Manchester club boasts an non-professional veterans squad with 9 former top-flight players in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are based in southern the city and play in the Cheshire-based Vets Division Top Division.

The squad list this campaign features nine former Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 top-flight matches.

The high-profile roster also contains 222 top division scores and 325 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game versus reigning title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half triple.

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

Collectively, the former Premier League players have won fifteen major honors and moved for total transfer fees of about £123 million.

Famous Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He won 6 Irish appearances, scoring four scores

Ireland started turning out for the team during preseason this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now attends their home games, also had his debut against Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

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

"Then he told me we were playing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

"It's a little 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 hanging back' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

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

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while Boyd hit five on his first match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Premier Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

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

"It was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

"I think I was a little starstruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.

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

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"Our group really have not ceased talking about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of normal fellas.

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

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets team, who secured the Premier Division championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Michael Leblanc
Michael Leblanc

Professional casino strategist with over a decade of experience in roulette analysis and game theory.