Introduce the Sunday League Squad With Over 1,800 Premier League Games

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

How can you enhance a outstanding veteran side that have secured consecutive titles, featuring a league-cup double boasting thirty wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a collection of former pro players who have competed at the highest level of club and global soccer as you target further honors.

A Greater Manchester side fields an amateur veterans squad with 9 former top-flight footballers in their active lineup.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

The team Veterans Over-35s are located in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire-based Veterans Division Premier Division.

Their squad list this campaign includes 9 former Premier League players, with a total 1,801 elite games.

This high-profile team also includes over 220 Premier League scores and 325 global appearances.

The squad feature one forward, who notched 37 goals in 117 appearances for his former club after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match against defending title holders their rivals and scored all six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour first-half triple.

The squad for this season also includes former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former top-flight footballers have won 15 major honors and transferred for total transfer sums of around £123 million.

Household Names and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, scoring 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in pre-season this season through good friend and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked additional former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"A friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Blue kits - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"Those fans who come and see are pleased and to make a moment if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

"It's a bit unusual but then, I love running and just go inside - 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.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

Unreal Scenario

Along with the forward's six goals on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a triple in one match up front.

The team are leading of the Premier Tier with 3 victories from 3 and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Wigan full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than two hundred Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had these ex-Premier League stars," remarked the player.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's got over 60 England caps.

"Our side competed well for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"We literally haven't stopped talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Mary Holt
Mary Holt

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