Every football fan up and down the United Kingdom knows that the English Premier League dominates headlines across Europe given the financial riches that are available to successful sides given the peculiarities of the varying broadcasting deals that are now at play in the modern game, but this week an amateur Manchester club have stolen the headlines, and Wythenshawe AFC have quite a curious claim to fame.
The side were already a stellar veteran’s team who boasted back to back promotions, and a league cup double with 30 wins from 32 games, but this season they went one step further and decided to recruit nine former Premier League players to their first team options to create a Sunday league dream team that now boasts 22 top flight PL goals and 325 international caps amongst their ranks. Even for those fans who use a secure VPN to watch their football will not be able to watch these matches, but I can only imagine what they audience might be if you could!
The Wythenshawe Vets Over 35s play in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division and are based on South Manchester, but after their slight pivot in the recruitment plan they now have a combined 1801 top flight appearances to their name and their fans now get to regularly see the likes of former Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse, Liverpool and England’s Emile Heskey, Hull and Burnley winger George Boyd, Everton striker Oumar Niasse, Wigan full-back Maynor Figueroa, Manchester City duo Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha and Premier League title winners Joleon Lescott and Danny Drinkwater serving up their skills in their shirt.
When added together, their fresh slightly elder looking line up have won 15 major trophies between them, and have previously demanded a combined transfer fee of about £123 million. Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Ireland began turning out for the side during pre season having been introduced by friend and current player Blake Norton, and having enjoyed himself he decided to invite a few other former professionals along for a midweek nine a side run out, for a bit of banter, some fun and their own fitness purposes.
There will be some who feel that maybe this is a little bit unfair on the other amateur players who take part in the league, but despite some strange scorelines (Ireland has scored eight in three so far and centre half Lescott helped himself to a hattrick whilst playing as a striker) it really is just good fun, with a great experience for the crowd and some great stories for the other players to talk about when enjoying a post game pint – especially the recent Collegiate OB players who were holding them (and actually took the lead) until they lost a man and went down to ten men, and they are now looking for some good natured revenge in the return fixture.
Carl Barratt, Wythenshawe chairman of the last 24 years, admitted it was just a bizarre experience as they were still pretty much household names and have been worth millions but his wife is still chasing them for the subscriptions to continue taking part.
“She comes to me and says ‘we’ve signed someone called Emile Heskey’ and then we’re asking him for £15.”
One thing is for sure, this should help shine a spotlight on that level and clubs should only benefit further.