LEEDS V LATICS
Saturday August 33rd
Elland Road, 3.00pm

As he prepares to feature in the Latics side who travel to Elland Road for the final warm-up game of the pre-season, Michael Brown has received a pat-on-the back good luck message from his old Fulham room mate and former Latics favourite Jimmy Bullard.

Jimmy made the journey in reverse at the end of the 2005-06 season, but his Fulham career has been disrupted by a horrendous cruciate knee injury sustained almost a year ago.

Bullard: Browny'll do the business at Wigan

Bullard and Brown roomed together in the short time they were colleagues at Craven Cottage, and Jimmy, speaking to Fulham's official website, said: "I spoke to Browny yesterday and wished him all the best. I was a bit gutted as he was my roomy as well you know. He broke me into the club and made it easier for me - he's a top man Browny.

"I'm sure he'll be a great buy for Wigan and hopefully I won't be playing against him because you know what he tackles like!"

Brown played in the game at Barnsley on Tuesday, then in the behind-closed doors game against Rochdale on Wednesday, and having missed out on much of the pre-season programme, is keen to make up for lost time

Brown - "I want to play"

"The move away from Fulham was on the cards for a while and I missed a bit of the pre-season at Fulham. But I played a full match this week again and felt ok, so hopefully, the gaffer will give some more time at Leeds."

On Bullard, he said: "Jimmy's a one-off, a great lad and he spoke highly of this place and the atmosphere here. He said I'd enjoy it up here. It's great to see him back on his feet and training again."