Valencia joins star-studded Wythenshawe vets team

Former Manchester United captain Antonio Valencia has joined the star-studded veteran team at Manchester club Wythenshawe AFC.

The 40-year-old spent 10 years at Old Trafford, winning two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups and the Europa League.

The former Ecuador international joins a long list of ex-Premier League stars at Wythenshawe, including fellow title-winners Joleon Lescott, Danny Drinkwater, Marc Albrighton and Danny Simpson, plus ex-England frontman Emile Heskey and former Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse.

Valencia played 339 games for Manchester United and won 99 international caps, representing Ecuador at the World Cup in 2006 and 2014.

He retired from professional football in 2021 and has since founded his own academy, AV25, in his home country.

Wythenshawe told BBC Sport that Valencia joined through the network of former professionals already at the club and said he was "an amazing addition".

"As a community club with over 80 teams across men's, women's and junior football, it's always great for our players, volunteers and fans to see a player who has competed at the very top level spending time around the club and being part of the environment we're continuing to build," the club added.

Wythenshawe have won all seven of their games in this season's Cheshire Vets League Premier Division, scoring 62 goals and conceding just eight.

Their squad list also features former Everton forward Oumar Niasse, ex-Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa, former Manchester City players Stephen Ireland and Nedum Onuoha, plus George Boyd, a former Burnley midfielder, and ex-Swansea midfielder Jefferson Montero.

Valencia joined United from Wigan Athletic in 2009 for £16m following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, initially joining as a right-winger before converting to right-back.

His return to the north-west of England takes the combined transfer fees paid by former clubs to sign the players now at Wythenshawe to about £140m.

Between them, the squad boasts more than 2,000 top-flight appearances, almost 500 international caps and 21 major trophies.

However, they do not get paid to represent the club - in fact, chairman Carl Barratt says his wife has to send them letters to collect their £15 subscriptions fees.