When you rely on unpaid part-time officials to give their own time there is inevitably only so much that they will be able to do. Mr Moyle is right in his observation that the performance of the role is important and no less important for an part-timer, in which case the answer is not to slate the guy who has worked long, hard and (IMO) very effectively for 15 years, but to look long and hard at the system and see whether it is reasonably possible for one hardworking part-timer to do all that is being asked in the time available. If there is complacency in the system, it's from higher up, for setting the midranking officials unrealistic targets and then assuming everything can be, and has been, done. As I've said eleswhere on this board, the whole "prohibited area signage" issue is symptomatic of an organisational malaise that runs from smugness and complacency at the top. That's where heads should have rolled, not dedicated volunteers like Roger and Cathy.

I have met Roger several times over the years, when I marshalled at sessions I wasn't riding in, and when introducing friends to marshalling. He had organised a superb set of helpers and consistently co-ordinated a massive task of allocating resources round the longest racetrack in the world. I have great admiration for the man, his dedication and energy and I deplore the coroner's shallow conclusions and cheap snipes.

I will wish Roger all the best in his retirement, thank him warmly for all the great work he has done, and keep my fingers crossed for his successor. It's not a task I would want given that the same individuals are in charge at the very top and ready to let the club officials fall on their swords, and especially a mere 6 weeks before practice starts.