🔗 Share this article

What can you improve a outstanding veteran side who have claimed consecutive championships, including a league-cup double with 30 victories from 32 games?

Bring in a group of former professionals who have competed at the highest level of club and international soccer as you target more honors.

One Greater Manchester club has an non-professional vets squad with nine former Premier League players in their present roster.

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

Wythenshawe Veterans Over 35s are located in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Premier Division.

The lineup this season features 9 former top-flight footballers, with a total over 1,800 top-flight matches.

The star-studded squad also boasts 222 top division goals and 325 global caps.

The squad feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their last home-field game against reigning title holders their rivals and scored every one of the six scores in a six-two win - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also includes ex- pros such as English and Anfield forward Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have secured 15 major honors and transferred for total transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this summer through good friend and current team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland player then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided match, to participate.

Former Senegalese forward Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 top-flight matches for Everton and even now attends their home games, also made his first appearance versus Collegiate OB - who are located in Liverpool and use an Everton training kit as their strip.

"My mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.

"After that he told me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them sporting Everton shirts - I say this is wrong 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 choose?

"Those fans who come and watch are pleased and to give a moment if they watch us playing there and to ask us queries - it's more like the joy of us getting somewhere we can enjoy football, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at defender.

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

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

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

'Surreal Experience

Along with Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a hat-trick in one match up front.

The team are top of the Premier Tier with three victories from 3 and a GD of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at two World Cups for his country, in as well as featuring in more than 200 top-flight matches.

"The news was spreading like wildfire they had these former top-flight stars," said the player.

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

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

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

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

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

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Win the Title'

The manager coaches the opposition veterans team, who won the Top Tier championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil up and had a