SAINTS' Aussie prop Darren Britt, who last week announced his retirement after suffering a serious facial injury, took a well earned bow in front of the Knowsley Road faithful on Friday night.

Britt, who this week went in for surgery on a fractured eye-socket and cheekbone received rapturous applause when he came out before Friday night's game.

Although the massive prop has had his contract terminated by mutual consent, he will remain with the club until November as part of Ian Millward's coaching team.

Speaking on the decision Britt said: "I've had injuries before but I always knew I'd play again another day - but now there is no other day.

"I wanted to savour going. To go into my last game knowing it was going to be my last and able to savour the moment. I just feel robbed.

"But to play 50 seconds and now have to look back on that and think 'well ... that was my last game' is a huge disappointment."

The loss of Britt leaves a massive hole in Saints' ranks - and one that in the immediate future will have to be filled by Keith Mason, Mark Edmondson and John Stankevitch.

Commenting on the announcement Saints coach, Ian Millward said: "It's one of the sad things in sport when a person sustains an injury that finishes their career.

"And unfortunately that is exactly what has happened with Darren Britt, it's a huge loss to us.

"People have said to us this year 'whenever Darren Britt plays for you - you win' and what we've got to do - with the announcement of his retirement - is to deal with life after him sooner rather than later.

"From a fan's point of view maybe they just look for the stars, but from a coach's or player's point of view the star is always people like Darren Britt."

l Look out for a double page feature on Darren Britt in the September issue of This is Rugby League magazine out on September 8.

The August issue of TiRL is still on the shelves carrying features on Paul Wellens, Chris Joynt as well as all the usual features from Wigan, Widnes and Warrington.