🔗 Share this article

What do you boost a stellar experienced squad that have won back-to-back titles, including a league-cup double with thirty victories from thirty-two matches?

Recruit a raft of former pro players who have performed at the highest level of club football and international football as you pursue further trophies.

A Greater Manchester side fields an amateur vets squad with nine former top-flight footballers in their current roster.

Two Hundred Twenty-Two Top Division Goals, 325 International Appearances

The team Veterans Over 35s are situated in south the city and play in the Cheshire Veterans League Top Division.

Their lineup this campaign features nine ex- Premier League footballers, with a combined nearly 1,800 elite matches.

The star-studded squad also boasts 222 Premier League scores and 325 global caps.

The squad feature one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for his former club after signing for them for £9m from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg in 2012.

He made his debut for the team in their most recent home-field match versus reigning title holders their rivals and scored all six goals in a 6-2 win - including a 32-minute opening period triple.

Wythenshawe's squad for this season also features former pros such as English and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Together, the ex- Premier League footballers have won 15 big trophies and moved for total transfer sums of around £123m.

Household Names and International Stars

Stephen Ireland started turning out for the team in pre-season this summer through close mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the former Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegalese striker Niasse, who scored twelve goals in 65 Premier League matches for the Toffees and still attends their home games, also had his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are located in the city and use an Everton training kit as their uniform.

"A mate Stephen Ireland told me 'come and have a game, it's a laugh'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were playing a side from Liverpool and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is strange for me!

"If you still love football and you feel you can still do it, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to do?

"Those people who turn up and see are happy and to give a moment if they see us competing there and to pose us questions - it's more like the joy of us having somewhere we can play, with organisation of course."

Such is the bench strength at Wythenshawe, he made his debut at full-back.

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

"I warn my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.

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

'Surreal Experience

In addition to Cisse's 6 goals on his first game, Ireland has netted eight in three appearances for the side, while Boyd scored five on his debut appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, notched a triple in one match as a striker.

The team are leading of the Top Division with three victories from three and a goal difference of plus nineteen.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who features on the flank for Collegiate OB, came up against former Latics defender Figueroa on Sunday - and had to tell his nine-year-old boy who Heskey was.

He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to featuring in over 200 Premier League matches.

"It was spreading like a rumor they had all these former top-flight players," said Barrow.

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

"Also Emile [Heskey] came on and he's has 60-odd English caps.

"We held our own for a solid twenty mins but then we had a player dismissed and it was tough.

"Our group literally haven't ceased chatting about it - I was calling my mum and brother on the way home.

"The opponents were all friendly, shaking our hands after the match - it was like facing a bunch of normal guys.

"Now we are eager for the return fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans side, who secured the Top Division championship the previous campaign, together with his co-manager.

"Our team went one-nil ahead and had a