"We were struggling at Macclesfield, and so were Sunderland when Roy first went there. I was coming up from the bottom, so was Roy and we were encouraging each other.
"Although it was Macclesfield, and not many people gave a monkey's, Keaney was the only one really as a manager who was texting me and ringing me and kept saying: 'Keep going, well done'."
"As for me and Roy, we played together for four years in midfield at United and played the same, moaned the same, only Roy got booked more than me.
"I'm sure we'll lock horns in the Premiership and be battling it out against each other one day."
* Ince has just left Macclesfield to take the job at the odious MK Dons.
* They played together for two years - 1994 and 1995 seasons.