Yorke made 95 league appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson's side from 1998-2002, winning the historic treble in 1999 alongside combustible midfielder Keane.
And the pair later teamed up again at the Stadium of Light, with the Irishman opting to recruit his former Old Trafford colleague in 2006, where he made a further 58 league outings, scoring six goals.
Yorke was still a Sunderland player when Keane eventually parted company with the Black Cats in December 2008 following the club's slide into the relegation zone.
And the former Trinidad & Tobago international revealed that a text he sent to Keane wishing him well for the future resulted in a violent response.
“The rumours of his departure had been flying around for a while, but when it happened it was still a surprise,” he said in the News of the World.
“So I sent him a text saying how sorry I was how things had turned out, but thanking him for the chance at Sunderland and wishing him all the best for the future.
“Ten minutes later, I got my reply: 'Go f*** yourself.'
“I've still got that text on my phone. I keep it because to this day it shocks me, and yet at the same time, doesn't.”
And Yorke reveals more about the fiery former Celtic midfielder in his new autobiography Born to Score, including one memorably vicious half-time team-talk.
"Keano emerged from the washroom, quietly, calmly. He asked our kit manager if he can get the tactics board.
“The board goes up. And Keano takes a running jump and smashes it over with a kung-fu kick.
"Captain? Some f***in' captain you are,' he rages, slapping Dean [Whitehead] about the head in the process.
“No one knew Keano's moods better than me and I sensed his regime was heading for a point of no return.”
