Running a marathon requires many special attributes - dedication, fitness and the patience of a Saint - and that's exactly what Michael Smith has.

The 38-year-old welder from Weymouth is an avid Saints fan and, as our picture shows, has spread the gospel according to Glenn to the other side of the globe by running abroad in his Saints shirt.

His mother Lois Smith commented: "It's amazing how you can get people interested and talking on the other side of the world just by wearing a Saints shirt."

Lois accompanied Michael, who attends several home and away matches despite working in London, to the New York marathon where he is pictured after the race having finished the gruelling task in a more than respectable time of four hours and five minutes.

In total Michael has run eight marathons, including Chicago and New York, and several half marathons - why I don't know. But his Saints shirt has become something of a lucky omen and ritual for him, a trait of every fan.

Lois explained: "He used to wear a green shirt from work, but when we went to watch him we couldn't pick him out so he decided several years ago to wear his Saints shirt whenever and wherever he ran in the world and has done ever since.

"We had so many people stop us when we were in New York either asking who Saints were and who Matthew Le Tissier was, or just Americans or foreigners saying how great they thought Le Tissier was! "Also we took some flags with us."

Now that's what you call flying the flag for Saints abroad. Boom, boom. Sorry.

Next on the red and white one's running agenda is the small matter of the 2001 London Marathon where he'll be proudly displaying his colours once more - now it would be interesting to see if any of the Saints players could last a marathon.