Meet the Weekend Division Squad Boasting 1,800 Premier League Matches

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This bench for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a stellar veteran squad who have claimed consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of ex- pro players who have played at the top level of club football and international football as you target further trophies.

A Manchester team fields an amateur veterans team with 9 former Premier League players in their current squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Caps

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are based in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans Division Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign includes 9 former Premier League footballers, with a combined 1,801 Premier League games.

This high-profile team also includes over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

They feature one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home-field game against reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a six-two win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have won 15 major honors and transferred for combined transfer sums of around £123m.

Well-Known Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned 6 Irish appearances, scoring 4 scores

Ireland started turning out for the team in preseason this season through good friend and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were facing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The fans who come and see are happy and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at the club, Niasse had his debut at full-back.

"It's a little unusual but then, I love sprinting and just go inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

"The movement is what I'm looking for. It's enjoyable."

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

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 goals on debut, Ireland has scored eight in 3 appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Tier with three wins from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"It was going round like a rumor they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

"I felt I was a little starstruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

"Our side competed well for a solid twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"We really haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the League'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition veterans side, who won the Premier Tier championship the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"We scored 1-0 up and had a

Kathleen Smith
Kathleen Smith

Elara Vance is a digital gaming analyst and content creator specializing in online betting platforms and casino game reviews across the UK market.