Maddy Cusack's Mother Tells Inquest Coach Drove 27-Year-Old's Distress
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2
Maddy Cusack's Mother Tells Inquest Coach Drove 27-Year-Old's Distress
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 2
Summary
Deborah Cusack told Chesterfield Coroner's Court her daughter would still be alive if Jonathan Morgan had not been hired by Sheffield United in February 2023, calling him Maddy's "nemesis."
The inquest heard Morgan allegedly made comments about Cusack's weight, including calling her "bottom heavy," and that she then tried to get fitter and thinner through changed eating habits and extra runs.
Text messages read in court showed Cusack saying, "Had it been any other manager, I wouldn't feel like this," and fearing club executives would back Morgan rather than her if she complained.
Deborah Cusack rejected earlier evidence that her daughter's mental health decline was mainly linked to girlfriend Grace Riglar moving clubs, saying Maddy had no prior mental health issues and wanted to keep the relationship private.
The court also heard Cusack felt trapped because leaving Sheffield United could jeopardize her marketing job at the club; the inquest into her September 2023 death is continuing.
When a club's 'poster girl' dies in despair, is it one coach's fault or a systemic failure in women's football?
Is the rapid growth of women's football creating a mental health crisis the sport is unprepared to handle?
Maddy Cusack Case: Inquest Reveals Coaching Failures and Systemic Neglect in Women’s Football
Overview
The ongoing inquest into Maddy Cusack's death, which began in June 2026, has highlighted serious concerns about coaching conduct at Sheffield United and its impact on her mental health. Testimonies, including that of her former girlfriend Grace Riglar, have focused on comments made by manager Jonathan Morgan and the period leading up to Cusack's passing in September 2023. These revelations have brought attention to the decline in Cusack's well-being and raised broader questions about player welfare and accountability in women's football, emphasizing the urgent need for better support and safeguards within the sport.