Key facts
- Maddy Cusack expressed dismay over her former coach, Jonathan Morgan, joining Sheffield United.
- She feared being stigmatized and ridiculed at the club.
- Her father told an inquest that Ms Cusack's life had been made unpleasant by Mr Morgan previously.
- Ms Cusack became demotivated and deflated, experiencing anxiety over contract negotiations and work-life balance.
- She was prescribed medication and feared repercussions for discussing mental health.
- Ms Cusack was found unresponsive at her home on September 20, 2023.
An inquest has heard that former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack was "dismayed" by the prospect of her previous coach, Jonathan Morgan, joining the club months before her death. Her father, David Cusack, told Chesterfield Coroner's Court that his daughter feared being stigmatised and ridiculed at Sheffield United.
Ms Cusack had previously worked with Mr Morgan at Leicester, where her father stated life had been made "unpleasant" for her. Upon joining Sheffield United in January 2019, she was reportedly "loving life" until Mr Morgan became her coach again in February 2023. Her father described her as "dismayed by the possibility of him coming back into her life."
Towards the end of her life, Ms Cusack became demotivated and deflated, according to her father. He suggested that contract negotiations, which were drawn out over the summer of 2023, contributed to her unhappiness. After signing a full-time contract, she experienced anxiety about combining training hours with her part-time marketing job, and the money was less than the previous year, leading her to "lose her joie de vivre."
The inquest heard that Ms Cusack was prescribed medication and felt that if she used her mental health as an "excuse," she "would be out" of the team, fearing stigmatisation. Sheffield United did not offer psychotherapy or other support. Mr Cusack found his daughter unresponsive at their Derbyshire home on September 20, 2023, and attempted CPR before calling an ambulance.