🔗 Share this article

What can you enhance a excellent veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, including a double triumph boasting 30 victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a raft of former pro players who have played at the highest level of club and global soccer as you aim for additional honors.

One Manchester team has an amateur veterans team with nine former top-flight footballers in their current roster.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 International Caps

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

The lineup this season features nine ex- Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League appearances.

This star-studded squad also boasts 222 Premier League goals and over 320 international caps.

The squad include Papiss Cisse, who scored thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field match against defending champions their rivals and scored all six scores in a 6-2 win - including a half-hour first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have claimed fifteen big trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of around £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Players

Stephen Ireland began turning out for the team in preseason this season through good friend and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked additional ex-pros, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to participate.

Ex- Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 scores in 65 top-flight matches for the Toffees and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and use an Blue warm-up gear as their strip.

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'come and play, it's enjoyable'," said the striker.

"Then he told me we were playing a team from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

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

"Those spectators who turn up and see are pleased and to give a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us getting a place we can play, with structure of course."

Such is the bench strength at the club, Niasse had his first game at defender.

"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just go inside - I'm not staying back that much," he added.

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

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

Unreal Experience

Along with the forward's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd hit 5 on his debut match and Joleon Lescott, a defender by position, notched a hat-trick in one game up front.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Division with three victories from three and a GD of +19.

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

He has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League games.

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

"I think I was a bit starstruck facing him to be honest.

"Also Heskey came on and he's has 60-odd English appearances.

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

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

"The opponents were all really nice, shaking our hands after the game - it was like facing a group of normal fellas.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition vets side, who secured the Top Tier title last season, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil up and had a