Introduce this Sunday League Team With 1,800 Top-Flight Matches

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

What can you enhance a excellent veteran squad who have won back-to-back titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of former pro players who have competed at the top level of club football and global football as you aim for additional honors.

A Manchester club has an amateur vets squad with 9 former Premier League footballers in their active lineup.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are situated in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign features 9 former Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite appearances.

This elite team also includes over 220 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home-field game versus reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's roster for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have won 15 major trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of about £123 million.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Irish appearances, netting four goals

Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this summer through good friend and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then invited other ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal striker Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League matches for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance against the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their uniform.

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

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"Then he told me we were facing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still enjoy the game and you know you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"The spectators who turn up and see are happy and to make someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with structure of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse made his first game at full-back.

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

"I tell my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Feeling

In addition to Cisse's six goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one game up front.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with 3 wins from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young boy who Emile Heskey was.

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

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked the player.

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd England appearances.

"We held our own for a good twenty minutes but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group really haven't stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mother and sibling on the journey home.

"They were all friendly, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of regular fellas.

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

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

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Yolanda Anderson
Yolanda Anderson

Elara is a seasoned digital strategist with over a decade of experience in content marketing and brand development.

September 2026 Blog Roll

August 2026 Blog Roll

April 2026 Blog Roll

March 2026 Blog Roll

February 2026 Blog Roll

Popular Post