🔗 Share this article

What do you boost a outstanding experienced squad that have claimed back-to-back championships, including a league-cup double boasting 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Bring in a collection of ex- professionals that have competed at the elite level of club football and international football as you target more honors.

One Greater Manchester club has an amateur veterans team with 9 former top-flight players in their active lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, Three Hundred Twenty-Five Global Caps

Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Tier.

The lineup this campaign boasts 9 former Premier League footballers, with a collective nearly 1,800 Premier League appearances.

The star-studded squad also includes over 220 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

The squad include one forward, who scored thirty-seven goals in 117 appearances for Newcastle United after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home game against defending title holders their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a six-two win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also features former professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- Premier League players have secured fifteen significant trophies and moved for combined transfer fees of around £123m.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this season through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Ex- Senegalese forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight games for Everton and still goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and wear an Everton training kit as their strip.

"My friend Stephen told me 'join and have a game, it's good fun'," said Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them sporting Everton kits - I thought this is strange for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can play, what are you going to do?

"Those spectators who come and see are happy and to make a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the joy of us getting somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the squad depth at Wythenshawe, Niasse had his debut at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy running and just go 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 keep running.

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

Unreal Experience

Along with the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by trade, notched a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

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

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

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for Honduras, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League matches.

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

"I felt I was a little awestruck facing him to be honest.

"Even Heskey got on and he's has 60-odd England appearances.

"Our side competed well for a good 20 mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was hard.

"We literally have not ceased chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the League'

The manager manages the Collegiate veterans team, who secured the Premier Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"We went 1-0 ahead and had a