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The inquest into the death of Maddy Cusack, former Sheffield United women’s team player, revealed insights into the factors affecting her mental health prior to her passing. Cusack, aged 27, was discovered unconscious by her father David at their family home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023, and died the same day. During the proceedings, the former team captain Sophie Barker shared her perspective, indicating that Cusack’s mental state was largely impacted by the departure of her girlfriend, Grace Riglar, who moved to a different football club.
Barker stated that Cusack had been deeply affected by this change, explaining, “When Maddy found out Grace was going to go so far away, that affected Maddy. She was infatuated with Grace.” She also reassured Cusack that the move did not mean their relationship had ended, but acknowledged the distress it caused. Barker reflected on the situation by telling Cusack’s family, “I remember saying to Maddy’s family, after everything that happened, that if Grace was still local Maddy would still be here.” While Cusack’s family raised concerns about the team’s head coach, Jonathan Morgan, alleging issues linked to her relationship with him, Barker disagreed that Morgan’s behavior was the main cause of Cusack’s mental decline. In response to legal counsel Dean Armstrong KC’s suggestion that Morgan’s conduct and lack of support from the club were responsible, Barker firmly responded, “No, I believe Grace was the main reason.”
In addition to these personal struggles, Barker noted that Cusack had expressed anxiety about Morgan joining the club earlier in the year due to prior negative experiences with him at Leicester City. According to Barker, Cusack described Morgan as “unprofessional” and someone who “sold her dreams that, when she went there, weren’t real and he chatted a lot of rubbish.” However, despite these concerns, Cusack did not bring up further issues with Morgan during their time at Sheffield United. Barker also observed a noticeable change in Cusack over the summer of 2023, stating, “She turned up and went home. She didn’t really contribute to much,” contrasting this with the “bubbly” personality Cusack had displayed in previous seasons.
Additional evidence came from Francesca Carr, the team’s head physiotherapist at the time, who reported having no significant concerns about Cusack’s mental health compared to other players. Yet, Carr recalled a particular instance when Cusack became emotional after mistakenly arriving at the wrong training ground, saying, “It just wasn’t a normal reaction for me. I just thought that reaction is excessive for what happened. I know that emotional reaction is a sign.” Earlier testimony at the inquest noted Cusack felt personally targeted by Morgan when she was excluded from the starting lineup for matches. Morgan himself questioned whether this decision, which was made collaboratively, was in Cusack’s best interests given an ankle injury. Carr agreed, stating, “I think her not playing then, yes, was in her best interests.” The inquest is ongoing as more details continue to emerge
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