Introduce this Sunday Division Team With Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Matches

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

How can you boost a stellar veteran side who have secured consecutive championships, featuring a double triumph boasting 30 wins from 32 games?

Sign a raft of former professionals who have competed at the top level of club football and global football as you pursue further honors.

A Manchester side has an non-professional veterans team with nine ex- top-flight players in their active squad.

222 Premier League Scores, 325 International Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are situated in southern Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

The squad list this season boasts nine former top-flight players, with a total nearly 1,800 Premier League matches.

The star-studded team also boasts 222 Premier League scores and over 320 international caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 games for his former club after joining them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He had his debut for the team in their last home game versus defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and netted all six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half triple.

The team for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight players have won 15 big honors and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during pre-season this summer through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who scored twelve scores in 65 Premier League games for the Toffees and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance against the opposition - who are based in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

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

"My friend Stephen told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!

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

"The fans who turn up and watch are pleased and to give someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

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

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

"That running is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Maynor Figueroa in action
Ex- Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for the team

Unreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a GD of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, thirty-eight, who features on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two World Cups for his country, in addition to featuring in more than two hundred top-flight games.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," said Barrow.

"I think I was a little starstruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

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

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

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

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of regular guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans side, who won the Top Tier championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 ahead and had a

Albert Ramos
Albert Ramos

A seasoned gambling analyst with over 15 years of experience in slot machines and jackpot systems.