This week, with the Rev Kevin Logan, Vicar of Christ Church, Accrington

WE'VE been praying for our patron saint. He slayed the dragon of Germany, polished off Greece with one last-minute blow, and was then martyred in battle.

The day after he was stretchered off, queues formed to venerate the remains of his left foot. His sacrifice for club and country wiped the mayhem of an embryonic World War Three off the Front Pages.

A nation united in grief; a people praying for their hero to be healed (or footed). Media priests urged us to lay hands on 'The Foot' photo.

And now, churches are being urged to hold special Sunday TV commemorations to watch a resurrected St. David Beckham and his fellow slayers in action in Japan in June.

Dragon One (hopefully) will be slain at 7.30am. A second Sunday, it's 10.30, when we usually worship Somebody Else. The final starts just after usual service ends.

Now, as an ex-skinhead on the Stretford end at Old Trafford, I can honour St. David with the best. And we might even put on a 'do' for some of the games.

But I have to confess, I still hanker after our old patron, St. George.

A soldier in Palestine, his 'dragon' actually turned out to be his boss - the Emperor Diocletian. George was also a soldier of Jesus Christ, fighting for good and God. Diocletian thought he was God. George lost his head over the matter.

Later, our Crusaders were so inspired by him that they signed him up for England. It was the light of Christ and all his 'Georges' that made Britain Great.

St. David's OK. But we can do better.