Discover the Sunday League Club With Nearly Two Thousand Top-Flight Appearances

Wythenshawe Vets bench during a match
The bench for the team Vets in a 6-2 win against their opponents on 19 October (left to right) - one player, another, a teammate, Blake Norton, Maynor Figueroa, Dean Warburton and Emile Heskey

What can you boost a excellent experienced team that have won consecutive championships, featuring a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from thirty-two games?

Recruit a raft of ex- pro players that have played at the top tier of club and international soccer as you target more silverware.

A Manchester club has an amateur vets team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

The team Vets Over 35s are located in southern Manchester and play in the Cheshire Vets League Top Division.

The squad list this campaign features 9 ex- top-flight footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite games.

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

The squad include one forward, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after joining them for nine million pounds from German league side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home match against defending title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six goals in a six-two win - including a half-hour opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features former professionals such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- top-flight players have claimed fifteen significant honors and moved for combined transfer sums of approximately £123 million.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland in action
Stephen Ireland won 6 Republic of Ireland appearances, netting 4 goals

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team in preseason this summer through good mate and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'join and play, it's a laugh'," said the striker.

"After that he informed me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the shock I had when I saw them wearing Blue shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

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

"The people who turn up and see are pleased and to make someone's moment if they see us competing there and to ask us queries - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at the club, he had his first game at full-back.

"That's a bit different but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he said.

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

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

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

'Surreal Scenario

Along with the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored 8 in three games for the side, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Joleon Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are top of the Top Division with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for the opposition, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his young son who Heskey was.

He has played at 2 global tournaments for his country, in addition to playing in over two hundred top-flight games.

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

"I felt I was a bit starstruck playing against him to be honest.

"Also Emile [Heskey] got 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 literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and sibling on the way home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the Collegiate vets side, who secured the Premier Division title the previous campaign, along with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a

Jeremy Foster
Jeremy Foster

A former casino manager turned gaming analyst, specializing in slot machine mechanics and player psychology.