🔗 Share this article

How do you improve a stellar experienced squad that have won back-to-back championships, including a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a raft of former pro players that have performed at the elite tier of club and international soccer as you pursue further trophies.

A Manchester team fields an amateur veterans squad with nine ex- Premier League players in their current squad.

222 Premier League Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances

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

The roster this campaign features 9 ex- Premier League players, with a combined over 1,800 Premier League games.

The high-profile team also includes 222 Premier League goals and over 320 global caps.

They feature one forward, who netted 37 scores in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from German league side SC Freiburg in January 2012.

Cisse made his first appearance for the team in their most recent home match versus defending champions their rivals and netted every one of the six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this campaign also features former pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

In total, the former Premier League footballers have claimed 15 major trophies and moved for combined transfer sums of approximately £123m.

Famous Names and Global Stars

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited other former professionals, who all compete in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.

Former Senegal striker Niasse, who netted twelve goals in 65 top-flight games for Everton and even now goes to their matches at Goodison Park, also had his debut versus the opposition - who are located in the city and wear an Blue training kit as their uniform.

"My friend Stephen Ireland said 'come and have a game, it's good fun'," commented Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I noticed them wearing Blue kits - I say this is strange for me!

"If you still enjoy football and you know you can still do it, anywhere you can play, what are you going to choose?

"The people who turn up and watch are pleased and to give someone's moment if they watch us playing there and to pose us queries - it's really about the joy of us getting a place we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he had his debut at full-back.

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

"I warn my defender 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue running.

"The running is what I'm looking for. It's good fun."

Unreal Feeling

In addition to the forward's 6 goals on his first game, Stephen Ireland has netted eight in three games for the side, while George Boyd hit five on his first appearance and Lescott, a centre-half by position, notched a hat-trick in one game as a striker.

Wythenshawe are top of the Top Division with 3 wins from 3 and a goal difference of +19.

Paul Barrow, 38, who plays on the wing for Collegiate OB, came up against ex- Latics full-back Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his young son who Heskey was.

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

"The news was going round like wildfire they had all these ex-Premier League stars," remarked Barrow.

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

"Even Emile [Heskey] came on and he's got over 60 English appearances.

"We competed well for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.

"Our group really have not stopped chatting about it - I was calling my mother and brother on the journey home.

"The opponents were all dead sound, shaking our hands after the game - it was like playing a group of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the second match."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the opposition vets side, who won the Premier Division championship last season, along with his co-manager.

"Our team scored one-nil ahead and had a