Inquest into Maddy Cusack’s Death Highlights Resource Gaps at Sheffield United Women’s Team

The coroner’s inquest into the death of 27-year-old midfielder Maddy Cusack, whose body was found at her family home in Derbyshire on 20 September 2023, is probing whether Sheffield United’s women’s side had sufficient resources and mental-health support after moving to full-time training in the summer of 2023. Former physio Francesca Carr testified.

The Guardian

Sheffield United’s women’s team switched from part-time to full-time status in mid-2023, a change the club described as rushed. At the start of the 2023-24 season the squad lacked a dedicated medical treatment room—a league requirement—and staff were also handling duties such as preparing meals.

The Guardian

Carr said the club lacked the luxury of having all roles in place when the season started and noted the absence of a private medical room. She added that manager Jonathan Morgan pushed hard and ensured the players were fed when the club did not provide food. She also said she had advised Morgan that Cusack was not fit to play in his first match. Chief executive Stephen Bettis is due to testify, while Morgan, representing himself, denied any negative behaviour toward Cusack.

The Guardian

Cusack’s father and girlfriend blame Morgan’s decisions for her mental-health decline, citing exclusion from the starting lineup. Former captain Sophie Barker said Cusack feared losing partner Grace Riglar to a new club and worried about affording her house, but she did not recall any hostile actions by Morgan. Carr said Cusack was lower on her list of at-risk players.

The Guardian

Carr’s testimony suggests Cusack was not among the most at-risk players, while the family attributes her deterioration to managerial pressure. The club’s compliance with league standards, including the private medical room, remains unverified, and no direct evidence of Morgan’s misconduct has been presented.

The Guardian

• “In my personal opinion, yes. We didn’t have the luxury of having all the roles in place when the season started.” — Francesca Carr, Former Women’s Team Physio

The Guardian

• “We had some very tough times during the transition from part-time to full-time. Mr Morgan pushed hard and made sure the girls were being fed when the club weren’t providing food.” — Francesca Carr

The Guardian

• “She loved Grace to bits. She felt Grace was leaving her. I had to reassure her quite a lot, that Grace was just moving [clubs], it didn’t mean they were breaking up or anything like that. She was [also] really worried about affording her house. She was saying ‘if I leave football, I’m not going to be able to afford it’. We spoke about solutions to that.” — Sophie Barker, Former Captain

The Guardian

• “I can’t recall a time where I’d seen you shouting, I thought it was just a regular managerial thing.” — Sophie Barker (addressing Jonathan Morgan)

The Guardian

The inquest will hear Stephen Bettis’s testimony on 8 July and Jonathan Morgan’s evidence the following Monday. Additional staff are slated to testify, and the court will reconvene on Thursday. Findings may affect future enforcement of league standards and mental-health policies.

The Guardian