Meet the Weekend League Club Boasting Over 1,800 Premier League Appearances

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

What can you improve a outstanding veteran team that have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a collection of former professionals that have competed at the top level of club and international football as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester team has an amateur vets team with 9 ex- Premier League players in their current lineup.

222 Top Division Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

The team Vets Over 35s are based in south Manchester and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 former Premier League players, with a collective 1,801 top-flight appearances.

The high-profile roster also contains over 220 top division goals and 325 international appearances.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 goals in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game against defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the former top-flight footballers have secured 15 significant honors and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately ÂŁ123 million.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
He earned six Irish appearances, netting four scores

Ireland started turning out for the side in preseason this season through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked other ex-pros, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Niasse, who scored twelve goals in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Everton warm-up gear as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and play, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"After that he told me we were playing a team from the city and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I say this is wrong for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"The people who turn up and watch are happy and to make a moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse made his debut at full-back.

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

Dreamlike' Feeling

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in three games for the side, while George Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, came up against ex- Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

"It was going round like wildfire they had these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.

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

"Also Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

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

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

"They were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets team, who won the Premier Division title the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

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