Introduce the Weekend League Team Boasting 1,800 Premier League Games

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

How can you enhance a excellent experienced squad who have secured back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Sign a raft of ex- pro players that have played at the top tier of club football and global football as you pursue additional silverware.

One Greater Manchester side has an non-professional veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League players in their present roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 International Appearances

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are situated in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Tier.

The lineup this season boasts 9 ex- Premier League footballers, with a total nearly 1,800 elite matches.

This elite team also boasts over 220 Premier League scores and over 320 global appearances.

The squad include one forward, who scored 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight players have won 15 big trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Household Names and International Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Irish appearances, netting 4 scores

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side in preseason this summer through close mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Oumar Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for Everton and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
He featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you feel you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those fans who come and watch are happy and to make a day if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

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

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

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

Along with Cisse's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two global tournaments for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

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

"We competed well for a good twenty minutes but then we had a man dismissed and it was tough.

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

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

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division title last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Michael Frazier
Michael Frazier

Maya Sterling is a professional poker player and coach with over a decade of experience in high-stakes tournaments across Europe.