SPECULATION that surfaced more than a week ago linking Lee Briers with a move to St Helens will gather pace today after Brisbane Broncos confirmed that the former Saints half back will return to the UK at the end of the current season.

Briers had previously been linked with a move to join Wayne Bennett at South Sydney Rabbitohs as an assistant coach.

Saints have yet to confirm whether current head coach Paul Wellens will be retained, but the speculation on the assistant role has lingered - especially given the amount of focus directed towards the team’s misfiring attack.

Briers played six times for his hometown Saints as an 18-year-old while then skipper Bobbie Goulding was serving a long suspension at the start of the 1997.

He played in half a dozen games, including the Challenge Cup semi final, scoring one try and kicking 24 goals.

Coaching wise, prior to two seasons with Brisbane Broncos he had a season as an assistant coach at Wigan Warriors after leaving Warrington.

"It's been a really tough decision to head back home but firstly I want to thank Kev (Walters, Brisbane head coach) and the Broncos for giving me this opportunity,” Briers said.

“It's not often that you get an English coach coming over and plying his trade in the NRL, so massive thanks to Kev and (CEO) Dave (Donaghy) and the club for taking a chance on me.

"I'm sad to be going but our family had to deal with some loss last year and the time is right now to go back home – we still have our daughter living in the UK and we do miss her, so the time is right to go back.

"We are forever grateful and we'll look back on these two years as one of the best experiences of our lives.

"It's been a joy to watch everybody grow at the club and this is really just the start of a very long and successful time for the Broncos – everyone is connected and pushing in the same direction – and I'm really looking forward to the next few months of football and finishing on a high with this team.”