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Maddy Cusack, a former player for Sheffield United, struggled with concerns about stigma and ridicule related to her mental health, an inquest has revealed. The 27-year-old was found dead at her home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023. Her father, David Cusack, spoke at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court about the pressures she faced, including the return of a coach she had a difficult relationship with and contract difficulties that led to her feeling demotivated.
David Cusack explained that Maddy had been unhappy with the presence of coach Jonathan Morgan, whose return to the club in February 2023 troubled her deeply. He described how Morgan’s behaviour while Maddy played for Leicester City had made life unpleasant for her. “We thought she was depressed, not suicidal,” David said, recounting how Maddy was “the happiest she had ever been” after leaving Leicester in 2019 and playing part-time for Sheffield United while working full-time in their marketing department. Despite this, the prospect of working under Morgan again appeared to dampen her spirits greatly.
Further testimony during the inquest highlighted how Maddy’s new full-time contract offered by Sheffield United in June 2023 complicated her schedule, forcing her marketing role to become part-time and reducing her earnings. David described this contract as “the worst thing that could have happened,” linking it to her worsening mental health in the following months. The demands of juggling training, games, and her job left her “anxious” and “worried” with “no free time.” By August, she was “unwell” and “unhappy,” having lost her motivation and feeling defeated by the pressure.
The inquest also revealed that while Maddy was prescribed medication and issued a sick note by her GP for mental health reasons, she feared using her struggles as an “excuse,” worried that it would lead to stigma and possibly being dropped from the team. Her doctor explained that Maddy’s sick note was deliberately nonspecific to avoid being labelled, opting for the description “generally unwell.” David Cusack described the lack of support from Sheffield United and recounted the tragic moment when he discovered Maddy unconscious and attempted CPR. Following her death, he sought accountability, particularly regarding coach Morgan’s role, although the club’s internal investigation, concluded in December 2023, found no wrongdoing. The inquest into Maddy’s death remains ongoing
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