Former England defender, 44, to start up front with ex-Newcastle star in Sunday league clash against AngryGinge’s team

WYTHENSHAWE VETS have pulled off a seriously unusual selection call ahead of their Sunday league clash with AngryGinge’s Winton Yanited. Former England defender Joleon Lescott will start up front alongside ex-Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse for the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division showdown. Two-time Premier League winner Joleon Lescott will star up front for Wythenshawe Vets this weekend Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd Wythenshawe Vets are managed by Stephen Ireland Credit: The Times And the strange tactical decision was revealed by the Vets on social media ahead of Sunday’s match. Wythenshawe Vets posted on X: “Manager Stephen Ireland, announced the first half starting XI for Sunday’s match against @angryginge13’s Winton Yanited on Instagram… Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! “Follow wytheshawe.fc.vets to see who’s appearing in the second half.” The Manchester club have earned plenty of publicity with their star-studded veterans side, which boasts nine former Premier League players in their current squad. The Wythenshawe Vets Over-35s are based in south Manchester and compete in the Cheshire Vets League Premier Division. They are managed by former Manchester City and Aston Villa star Stephen Ireland, who was still turning out for the side until May. Ireland was then rushed to hospital after suffering a horror injury during a veterans cup final against South Liverpool. Now, the former Premier League midfielder is back in the dugout and has made Lescott one of his headline selections. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Wythenshawe Vets is a team made up of former Prem stars Credit: The Times Lescott, 44, made 288 Premier League appearances for Everton, Manchester City, West Brom, Aston Villa and Sunderland, predominantly playing at centre-back but also featuring regularly at left-back. He also won 26 England caps between 2007 and 2013 and lifted two Premier League titles with Manchester City in 2012 and 2014. But Sunday will see the former defender deployed in a position rather different to the one he made his name in. Lescott has already shown he knows where the net is for the Vets, too, after scoring a hat-trick for the side last October. And his surprise selection immediately left fans on X doing a double take. One wrote: “Joleon lescott as a striker was not on my bingo card 😂.” Another posted: “Joleon Lescott is up front! 🤣🤣🤣” A third simply asked: “Big Lescott up top??” Antonio Valencia (right) alongside manager Stephen Ireland (left) holding up a Vets jersey Credit: instagram Lescott will lead the line alongside Cisse, who Newcastle fans will remember for one of the most outrageous goals of the Premier League era. The former Senegal international smashed a spectacular effort against Chelsea in May 2012 – one which remains firmly lodged in Premier League folklore. Former Manchester United and Ecuador captain and two-time Premier League winner Antonio Valencia, lines up in midfield against Danny Drinkwater, who famously lifted the title with Leicester in 2016. Marc Albrighton was also part of Leicester’s incredible title-winning side and starts behind Lescott and Cisse, with Martyn Waghorn and George Boyd providing the width on the flanks. In goal, the Vets have former Republic of Ireland international Kieran Westwood. Another ex Ireland international, Paul McShane, lines up on the right side of the back three, with Kyle Bartley in the middle and Danny Fox on the left. With that much Premier League experience packed into one amateur veterans side, AngryGinge’s Winton Yanited are certainly in for a very different kind of Sunday league test. Another X user posted: “Poor kids are about to get battered Poor kids are about to get battered 😭.” Comment now