Introduce the Weekend League Squad Featuring Nearly Two Thousand English Top Division Games

How do you enhance a stellar experienced side that have claimed back-to-back titles, including a double triumph with thirty victories from 32 matches?

Recruit a group of former pro players that have performed at the top tier of club and global football as you target further honors.

One Greater Manchester team fields an non-professional vets squad with nine ex- top-flight players in their current squad.

222 Top Division Scores, 325 International Caps

The team Veterans Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire-based Veterans League Top Tier.

Their lineup this campaign features 9 ex- top-flight players, with a combined 1,801 Premier League matches.

This high-profile roster also boasts 222 Premier League goals and 325 global appearances.

They feature Papiss Cisse, who scored 37 scores in 117 games for Newcastle United after joining them for £9m from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg in January 2012.

He made his debut for Wythenshawe in their most recent home game against defending champions Collegiate Old Boys and scored all six goals in a 6-2 victory - including a 32-minute first-half hat-trick.

The squad for this season also includes ex- professionals such as English and Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley FC midfielder George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan Athletic defender Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and top-flight championship victors Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater.

Collectively, the ex- Premier League footballers have won 15 big trophies and transferred for total transfer fees of approximately £123m.

Famous Figures and Global Stars

Ireland started playing for the team in pre-season this summer through close friend and present team player Blake Norton, and the ex- Republic of Ireland midfielder then invited additional ex-pros, who all compete in a weekly small-sided game, to join in.

Former Senegal forward Niasse, who netted 12 goals in sixty-five Premier League games for Everton and even now attends their home games, also had his first appearance versus the opposition - who are located in Liverpool and use an Blue warm-up gear as their uniform.

"A mate Stephen Ireland said 'join and have a game, it's enjoyable'," said Niasse.

"After that he informed me we were facing a team from the city and the surprise I had when I saw them wearing Everton shirts - I thought this is wrong for me!

"When you still love the game and you feel you can still play, wherever you can kick a ball, what are you going to choose?

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

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

"That's a bit different but then, I love running and just move inside - I'm not defending that much," he added.

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

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

Dreamlike' Experience

In addition to Cisse's six scores on debut, Ireland has netted 8 in 3 games for Wythenshawe, while Boyd hit 5 on his first appearance and Lescott, a defender by position, scored a hat-trick in one match up front.

Wythenshawe are leading of the Top Tier with 3 victories from three and a goal difference of +19.

One opponent, thirty-eight, who plays on the flank for Collegiate OB, faced former Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa on Sunday - and had to explain his nine-year-old son who Heskey was.

Figueroa has played at 2 World Cups for Honduras, in as well as playing in more than 200 Premier League games.

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

"I felt I was a bit starstruck facing him to be honest.

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

"We held our own for a solid 20 minutes but then we had a player sent off and it was hard.

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

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

"Now we are eager for the second fixture."

'We'll Still Take the Title'

Andy Kirby coaches the Collegiate vets side, who won the Top Division championship last season, along with Paul Maguire.

"Our team went 1-0 up and had a