Introduce the Weekend Division Squad With Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
This substitutes for Wythenshawe Veterans during a 6-2 victory versus their opponents on 19 October (from left to right) - one player, Papiss Cisse, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

How do you enhance a excellent veteran squad that have claimed consecutive titles, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from thirty-two games?

Recruit a raft of former professionals that have played at the highest level of club football and global soccer as you aim for more silverware.

A Greater Manchester side fields an amateur vets team with nine ex- top-flight players in their current roster.

222 Top Division Goals, 325 Global Appearances

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

Their squad list this season boasts nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite matches.

The elite roster also boasts 222 top division goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who netted 37 scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home game against reigning title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two victory - including a half-hour opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also features former pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight players have secured 15 significant trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland earned 6 Republic of Ireland caps, scoring four scores

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the side in pre-season this summer through close mate and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Irish midfielder then invited other ex-pros, who all play in a weekly nine-a-side match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Oumar Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut against Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My friend Stephen Ireland told me 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

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

"If you still love football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those spectators who come and watch are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having somewhere we can play, with structure of course."

So great is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, he made his first game at defender.

"It'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 staying' and that I'm just going to continue running.

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

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

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in 3 appearances for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit five on his debut appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Premier Division with three wins from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

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

"The news was spreading like a rumor they had all these ex-Premier League players," said the player.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got over 60 England appearances.

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

"We really haven't ceased talking about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

We Will Still Take the League'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets team, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, together with Paul Maguire.

"We scored one-nil up and had a

Amber Little
Amber Little

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in slot machine mechanics and casino entertainment trends.