Meet the Sunday League Club Featuring 1,800 Premier League Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans in a 6-2 triumph versus their opponents on October 19th (left to right) - Oumar Niasse, Papiss Cisse, Marcel Edwards, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How can you enhance a stellar experienced team that have won back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double with thirty victories from thirty-two games?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals who have played at the highest level of club football and global football as you pursue more trophies.

A Manchester side has an non-professional vets team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their active roster.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 Global Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are situated in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Tier.

The lineup this season features 9 former Premier League footballers, with a total over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This elite team also boasts 222 top division goals and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who scored thirty-seven scores in 117 games for his former club after signing for them for £9m from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match against defending champions their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

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

Together, the ex- top-flight footballers have secured 15 big trophies and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won six Irish caps, netting 4 scores

Ireland started playing for the team in preseason this summer through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese striker Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen said 'join and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

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

"If you still love the game and you know you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and see are pleased and to make someone's day if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the pleasure of us getting somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at full-back.

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

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

"That movement is what I'm seeking. It's enjoyable."

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

Dreamlike' Experience

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in three games for the side, while Boyd hit 5 on his first match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one game as a striker.

The team are top of the Top Division with three victories from 3 and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at 2 global tournaments for his country, in as well as playing in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had these ex-Premier League players," remarked the player.

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

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

"We competed well for a solid 20 mins but then we had a man sent off and it was tough.

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

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

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a

Alexandra Campbell
Alexandra Campbell

Elena is a passionate advocate for social justice and diversity, with over a decade of experience in community organizing and inclusive education.