Ex-Premier League stars Papiss Cissé, Heskey, Lescott & Ireland light up Wythenshawe FC Vets

Updated: 22 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Ex-Premier League stars Papiss Cissé, Heskey, Lescott & Ireland light up Wythenshawe FC Vets

Football fans turning up for a casual Sunday League match in Manchester have been left stunned after discovering a line-up featuring Papiss Cissé, Emile Heskey, Joleon Lescott and Stephen Ireland.

The Wythenshawe FC Veterans, who play in the Cheshire Veterans Football League, have gone viral thanks to their unbelievable squad list filled with former Premier League stars.

The Manchester-based side are now nine points clear at the top of the table, boasting an incredible goal difference of +19, and it's easy to see why.

Star-Studded Squad

Former Newcastle United striker Cissé, Manchester City trio Lescott, Ireland and Nedum Onuoha, and ex-Burnley midfielder George Boyd have all turned out for Wythenshawe this season.

They've since been joined by Oumar Niasse, who once cost Everton £13.5 million, and England legend Emile Heskey, who won 62 caps for his country.

Adding even more shine, Danny Drinkwater, a Premier League title winner with Leicester City, is also signed on with the squad, giving Wythenshawe an astonishing 1,800+ Premier League appearances among their players.

Goals Galore

The team's recent results read like a highlights reel.

A 10-1 thrashing of Radcliffe FC Old Boys saw Boyd score five, Ireland grab four, and Lescott add another.

Then, against Collegiate Old Boys, Cissé rolled back the years with all six goals in a 6-2 victory, including four before half-time.

@wythenshawefc Notice some VERY FAMILIAR faces, in our Vets Over 35s Team #premierleague #wythenshawe #football #footballtiktok #uptheammies ♬ original sound - Al Saeid Catering

Chairman Carl Barratt told talkSPORT how the incredible squad came together.

One of the lads who knows the manager really well started talking, he's good friends with Stephen Ireland.

In pre-season Papiss Cissé came down and Onuoha came down and started playing a few games.

George Boyd is a Wythenshawe lad and he started playing pre-season and it's just escalated and we've got nine signed on now, so two more and we've got a full eleven!

Barratt even recalled the surreal moment Heskey made his debut.

It's funny because our president John Walker has a stand named after him and he's been there from the start.

I looked across at one point and saw Emile Heskey wearing the shirt under the John Walker stand. That was like one of the best memories I'm ever going to have. Unbelievable.

@wythenshawefc Emile Heskey Wythenshawe Debut #emileheskey #England #footballtiktok ♬ sonido original - Taci Méndez

'Just a Bit of Fun'

Despite the domination, Barratt insists the team are keeping things light-hearted, and so far, other sides have taken it in good spirits.

It's just a bit of fun. If you'd watched the game on Sunday it was a very equal game.

People don't want to stop playing at 35 or 36 so the standard is very high in the Vets League so this is just adding to it and I know there's a few other clubs that have got ex-pros playing for them as well.

When asked about so many professionals coming together to form a super-team, Ireland, now 39, told SPORTbible:

I just wanted to get out of the house and have some fitness and kick a ball around on a Sunday morning!

I was invited to play so I said yes and went along and loved it so I continued to play and more ex pros followed for the same reasons as me.

I have had some messages off others asking to come so there may be more added in time.

With crowds growing every week and results to match, Wythenshawe Vets have become the must-watch Sunday League team in the UK - a reminder that class is permanent, even in your late 30s and 40s.

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