Meet the Weekend League Squad With Over 1,800 Top-Flight Games

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

How can you improve a stellar experienced squad that have won back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with 30 wins from 32 games?

Recruit a collection of former professionals who have performed at the top level of club and international soccer as you pursue more silverware.

One Greater Manchester club fields an amateur veterans team with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their current lineup.

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

Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Tier.

The roster this campaign boasts nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a combined 1,801 Premier League games.

This elite squad also contains 222 top division scores and over 320 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for £9m from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home-field match against reigning champions their rivals and netted every one of the six scores in a 6-2 victory - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this campaign also features ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former top-flight footballers have claimed 15 major honors and transferred for combined transfer fees of about £123m.

Household Names and International Players

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

Ireland started playing for the side in preseason this summer through good mate and current Wythenshawe teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their strip.

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

"My mate Stephen said 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the shock I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you know you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"The fans who come and watch are happy 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 somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"It's a bit different but then, I love sprinting and just move inside - I'm not staying back that much," he said.

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa is playing for Wythenshawe

'Surreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 scores on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit five on his debut match and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, scored a triple in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Premier Division with three wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics defender Figueroa on the weekend - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

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

"I felt I was a bit awestruck facing Figueroa to be honest.

"Even Emile [Heskey] got on and he's has 60-odd English appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was tough.

"We literally haven't ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mother and brother on the way home.

"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of regular guys.

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

'We'll Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Top Division title last season, together with Paul Maguire.

"We went 1-0 up and had a

Lindsay Smith
Lindsay Smith

A passionate gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering industry trends and reviewing AAA titles.