Introduce this Sunday League Team Boasting 1,800 Premier League Games

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

What do you boost a excellent experienced squad who have claimed back-to-back titles, featuring a league-cup double with thirty wins from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of ex- professionals that have competed at the elite level of club football and international football as you target further silverware.

A Greater Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with 9 ex- Premier League footballers in their present lineup.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Scores, 325 Global Caps

The team Vets Over-35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets Division Premier Division.

Their roster this campaign boasts nine former Premier League footballers, with a total 1,801 elite appearances.

The elite squad also boasts 222 top division scores and 325 global appearances.

They feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for his former club after signing for them for nine million pounds from German league club Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for the team in their last home game versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored every one of the six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute opening period hat-trick.

The roster for this campaign also includes ex- pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull City and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have won 15 major honors and moved for combined transfer fees of about £123 million.

Well-Known Figures and Global Stars

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

Stephen Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this season through good mate and current team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side match, to join in.

Former Senegal striker Oumar Niasse, who scored 12 goals in sixty-five top-flight matches for Everton and even now goes to their home games, also made his debut versus the opposition - who are based in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

Oumar Niasse playing for Everton
Oumar Niasse featured for Everton from 2016 and 2020

"My mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's enjoyable'," commented Niasse.

"Then he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is wrong for me!

"When you still love the game and you know you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

"Those people who come and watch are happy and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us questions - it's more like the pleasure of us having somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

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

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

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

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

Maynor Figueroa in action
Former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa is turning out for the team

'Surreal Experience

In addition to the forward's six scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored eight in three games for the side, while George Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match as a striker.

The team are leading of the Top Tier with 3 wins from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, 38, who features on the wing for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan full-back Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

Figueroa has appeared at two global tournaments for Honduras, in as well as featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like wildfire they had all these former top-flight stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Heskey got on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We held our own for a good 20 mins but then we had a player sent off and it was tough.

"Our group literally have not ceased talking about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Take the Title'

The manager manages the opposition veterans team, who won the Top Tier title the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"We went one-nil up and had a

Devon Pugh Jr.
Devon Pugh Jr.

A Berlin-based DJ and music producer with over 10 years of experience in electronic music and gear testing.