Duncan Watmore and Wes Brown played together at Sunderland.
Watmore has been on the books of Sunderland since the summer of 2013 when he joined from Altrincham.
The 23-year-old operates as a winger, and is a very talented and promising player.
Brown, who is now on the books of Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League, played for Sunderland from 2011 to 2016.
The 37-year-old former England international defender started his professional football career at Manchester United where he won the Champions League twice, and also played for Blackburn Rovers.
Watmore suffered a cruciate injury in December 2016 and has only just regained match fitness.
The former England Under-21 international has already featured in one Championship match for Sunderland so far this season.
The winger, who could develop into a key player for the Black Cats under manager Simon Grayson as the season progresses, has revealed that he was sent a couple of text messages from former Sunderland teammate Brown during his injury layoff.
“I’ve been told, and its not to be pessimistic, the surgeon has always been very realistic, that even this season the knee might not feel the same, it will take time but the more gym you do, the more you play, the more confident you get with it, it will come,” Watmore told The Sunderland Echo.
“I’m going into it with a positive attitude, that I can get back and improve, but a realistic one too. Wes Brown did it and he sent me a couple of texts checking how I was doing, he’s been great.”
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