Discover the Weekend League Squad Boasting 1,800 Premier League Games
What do you boost a outstanding experienced side that have claimed back-to-back championships, featuring a league-cup double with thirty victories from 32 games?
Recruit a group of ex- pro players that have played at the elite level of club and global soccer as you aim for additional silverware.
One Manchester club has an non-professional vets team with 9 former top-flight footballers in their active squad.
222 Top Division Goals, Three Hundred Twenty-Five International Appearances
Wythenshawe Veterans Over-35s are located in south the city and compete in the Cheshire-based Vets League Premier Tier.
The squad list this campaign boasts 9 former top-flight players, with a collective 1,801 Premier League appearances.
This star-studded team also boasts over 220 top division scores and over 320 global caps.
The squad include one forward, who netted thirty-seven goals in over 100 appearances for Newcastle United after moving to them for nine million pounds from Bundesliga side Freiburg in 2012.
He made his first appearance for the team in their last home-field match versus defending title holders Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six scores in a six-two victory - featuring a half-hour opening period hat-trick.
Wythenshawe's squad for this campaign also includes ex- professionals such as England and Anfield striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Toffees striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City pair Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight title victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.
In total, the ex- top-flight footballers have won fifteen significant honors and moved for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.
Household Names and Global Stars
Ireland began playing for the team during pre-season this season through good mate and present team teammate Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then asked other former professionals, who all play in a midweek nine-a-side game, to participate.
Ex- Senegal forward Niasse, who netted 12 scores in 65 Premier League games for Everton and even now attends their matches at Goodison Park, also made his debut versus Collegiate OB - who are based in the city and wear an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.
"A friend Stephen said 'join and play, it's enjoyable'," commented the striker.
"Then he informed me we were playing a side from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Blue kits - I thought this is wrong for me!
"If you still love football and you feel you can still play, anywhere you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?
"The spectators who turn up and watch are happy and to give a day if they watch us competing there and to ask us questions - it's really about the pleasure of us having a place we can play, with structure of course."
So great is the strength in depth at Wythenshawe, he had his first game at defender.
"It's a little unusual but then, I enjoy sprinting and just move inside - I'm not staying back that much," he said.
"I tell my centre-back 'I'm not staying' and that I'm just going to continue attacking.
"That movement is what I'm looking for. It's enjoyable."
Dreamlike' Experience
In addition to the forward's 6 scores on debut, Ireland has scored eight in three appearances for the side, while George Boyd scored 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by trade, scored a hat-trick in one game up front.
The team are leading of the Premier Tier with three victories from three and a goal difference of +19.
One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the wing for the opposition, came up against ex- Latics defender Maynor Figueroa on the weekend - and had to tell his young son who Emile Heskey was.
He has appeared at two World Cups for Honduras, in addition to playing in over 200 Premier League games.
"It was spreading like a rumor they had these former top-flight players," remarked Barrow.
"I think I was a bit starstruck playing against Figueroa to be honest.
"Also Heskey came on and he's got 60-odd England appearances.
"Our side held our own for a good twenty mins but then we had a man dismissed and it was hard.
"We literally have not stopped chatting about it - I was phoning my mum and sibling on the way home.
"They were all really nice, shaking our hands after the match - it was like playing a bunch of normal guys.
"Now we are eager for the return match."
We Will Still Win the Title'
Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate veterans team, who won the Top Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.
"We went 1-0 ahead and had a