Discover the Sunday Division Squad With 1,800 English Top Division Games

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

How can you improve a excellent experienced side that have secured consecutive championships, featuring a double triumph boasting thirty victories from 32 matches?

Bring in a raft of former professionals who have performed at the elite level of club and global football as you pursue more trophies.

A Manchester side has an amateur vets squad with nine former Premier League footballers in their current squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Appearances

The team Vets Over-35s are located in south the city and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Top Tier.

The lineup this season features nine former top-flight footballers, with a total over 1,800 Premier League games.

This high-profile squad also contains over 220 Premier League goals and 325 international appearances.

They include one forward, who scored 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his debut for the team in their last home-field match versus reigning champions their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour opening period triple.

The roster for this campaign also includes former pros such as England and Liverpool forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight players have won 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Republic of Ireland appearances, netting four goals

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side during preseason this summer through good mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish midfielder then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who netted twelve scores in 65 top-flight games for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in Liverpool and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

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

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

So great is the bench strength at the club, he had his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

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

'Surreal Feeling

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in over two hundred Premier League matches.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

"I felt I was a bit starstruck facing him to be honest.

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

"Our side held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a man dismissed and it was tough.

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

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

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Division title last season, along with his co-manager.

"We went one-nil ahead and had a

Kelly Mckay
Kelly Mckay

A professional gambler and writer with over a decade of experience in casino games, specializing in baccarat tactics and strategies.