Jack Ross has made an excellent start to his first managerial spell in English football and he will hope to lead Sunderland back into the Championship following relegation last season. 

The Black Cats are currently second in the League One table and are just four points adrift of league-leaders, Portsmouth, who are the early pace setters.

One player who has rarely featured in recent seasons is Duncan Watmore, who has been ruled out with a long-term knee injury, which has put a halt to his exciting potential in the last couple of years.

But, after returning to competitive action for the Sunderland under 23s recently, Ross has revealed that Watmore is nearing a return to first-team action ahead of a hectic festive period.

"He's getting ever closer," said Ross in a recent interview with Chronicle Live.

"I know people are waiting for him to come back but we have been really patient with him and he is in a really good place because of that."

The Sunderland boss has eased the weight on Watmore's shoulders and isn't expecting him to pick up where he left off after having featured only a handful of times for the Black Cats in recent seasons:

"We can't expect too much right away in terms of his own levels because he has only played half-a-dozen first-team games in two years."

Ross is keen for the winger to fit in as quickly as possible with the new crop of players at the Stadium of Light, though, with Watmore having not played in the Black Cats side in some time.

"A lot of these players haven't played with him.

"They've seen him in training but until you actually play alongside them on the pitch, you don't get to build those understandings so that will take time to develop."

Sunderland take on Walsall in the second round of the FA Cup at the weekend, a game which may come too soon for Watmore in his return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The Verdict

Watmore's imminent return to first-team action is a huge boost to Sunderland's promotion chances.

If he hadn't have been ruled out through injury in recent seasons then he would arguably earned a move to either the Championship or the Premier League.

He will be keen to pick up where he left off with Sunderland and will be hoping to spearhead their charge towards promotion this season in a fiercely competitive League One.

Thoughts? Let us know! 

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