Once household names in top-flight football, a clutch of former Premier League players are now turning out for Wythenshawe Vets’ over-35s in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division. Names like Papiss Cissé, Danny Drinkwater and Stephen Ireland might still be remembered for momentous goals and medals — so why are they lining up in Sunday League football?
The squad reads like a who’s who of recent English football: Emile Heskey, Maynor Figueroa, Joleon Lescott, Oumar Niasse, Nedum Onuoha, George Boyd and Jefferson Montero all join the club that, between them, boasts 1,867 Premier League appearances, 389 international caps and 15 major honours.
Wythenshawe Vets’ former Premier League stars:
– George Boyd – 101 appearances, 9 goals
– Papiss Cisse – 117 appearances, 37 goals
– Emile Heskey – 516 appearances, 110 goals
– Stephen Ireland – 246 appearances, 19 goals
– Nedum Onuoha – 188 appearances, 4 goals
– Danny Drinkwater – 104 appearances, 4 goals
– Maynor Figueroa – 176 appearances, 4 goals
– Joleon Lescott – 288 appearances, 23 goals
– Oumar Niasse – 65 appearances, 12 goals
– Jefferson Montero – 66 appearances, 1 goal
The impact has been immediate. Wythenshawe enjoyed back-to-back promotions and an astonishing league season in which they won 30 of 32 games. After two County Cup final defeats, the club wanted to push on — and the arrival of ex-top-flight players has helped take them to new heights.
Stephen Ireland, the clever midfielder who featured for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Newcastle and Stoke, joined after being invited by friend and club player Blake Norton during pre-season. “Ever since then I’ve never looked back,” he told Sky Sports after Wythenshawe’s latest rout: a 13-0 victory over South Liverpool.
Papiss Cissé, who bagged 37 Premier League goals for Newcastle, provided one of the day’s highlights. He missed a first-half penalty but stayed upbeat and then scored seven after the interval. Cissé has also hit a double hat-trick in recent weeks, netting six in a game against Collegiate Old Boys. “We have to have fun, keep fit and enjoy football because this is our life,” he said.
In the 13-0 win, Ireland opened the scoring with an instinctive volley and George Boyd also got on the scoresheet. Ireland stressed the wider benefits of playing at this level: “We’re all retired and it’s nice to get together to continue to play football, keep fit and also from the mental health side of things. A lot of lads can feel a bit stranded and alone when they come out of football. We all live in the same area so help each other.”
Wythenshawe’s growth has been fuelled by social media, which has helped attract several hundred spectators to Hollyhedge Park on matchdays. Their league form has been ruthless too, with emphatic wins of 6-2, 10-1, 7-1 and 5-2 among the results this season. Manager Kieran Megram praised the squad simply: “I can’t fault any of them.”
Danny Drinkwater, who played a key role in Leicester City’s 2016 title-winning season and saw his professional career fizzle after a big move to Chelsea, has also enjoyed the return to grassroots football. Now 35, and whose final professional appearances came for Reading in 2022, Drinkwater says playing for Wythenshawe has rekindled his love of the game. “We’re not here to take advantage of any standard around, this is purely to get some enjoyment and fitness. Hopefully the opposition see the positives in it as well,” he said. “I don’t think you can get much more enjoyment out of football than stuff like this. You can’t compare it – you get a bacon sarnie and a beer afterwards, it’s great.”
For the players, the reasons are simple: community, fitness, friendship and the pure joy of playing. For the club and its supporters, the presence of high-profile names has brought attention, success and big crowds. What began as a local vets side has become a rare blend of former professionals and grassroots football — competitive, convivial and very entertaining.