🔗 Share this article

How do you enhance a outstanding veteran team that have won consecutive titles, including a double triumph with 30 wins from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a collection of ex- professionals who have performed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you target additional honors.

One Greater Manchester team boasts an non-professional vets team with nine ex- top-flight footballers in their present squad.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Premier League Scores, 325 Global Caps

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

Their roster this season boasts nine former Premier League players, with a combined 1,801 Premier League games.

This elite team also contains over 220 top division scores and over 320 international appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who notched thirty-seven scores in over 100 games for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga club Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse had his first appearance for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against reigning champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a six-two victory - featuring a 32-minute first-half triple.

Wythenshawe's team for this season also includes ex- pros such as England and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees forward Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the former Premier League players have claimed 15 major trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123 million.

Well-Known Names and Global Stars

Ireland began playing for the side during preseason this summer through close mate and present Wythenshawe player Blake Norton, and the former Irish player then invited additional former professionals, who all compete in a midweek small-sided match, to join in.

Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who netted 12 scores in sixty-five Premier League games for the Toffees and even now attends 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 uniform.

"A friend Stephen Ireland told me 'come and play, it's a laugh'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a side from Liverpool and the shock I had when I noticed them wearing Everton kits - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still enjoy the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can play, what are you going to choose?

"Those fans who turn up and see are happy and to give someone's day if they watch us playing there and to pose us questions - it's really about the joy of us having a place we can play, with organisation of course."

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

"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 staying' and that I'm just going to keep running.

"The movement is what I'm seeking. It's good fun."

Dreamlike' Scenario

In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Stephen Ireland has scored 8 in three games for Wythenshawe, while George Boyd scored 5 on his debut match and Lescott, a defender by position, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with three wins from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, 38, who features on the flank for the opposition, faced former Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for his country, in addition to playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these former top-flight players," remarked the player.

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

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

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

"Our group literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and brother on the journey home.

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

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

We Will Still Win the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team scored 1-0 ahead and had a