MADDY Cusack’s girlfriend moving away was the main reason for her decline in mental health, an inquest has heard.
The former captain of Sheffield United’s women’s team said that “Maddy would still be here” if her girlfriend Grace Riglar had not moved from United to a different football club.
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Maddy Cusack of Sheffield United was found unresponsive at her home address in Horsley Credit: PA
Grace Riglar, Maddy’s partner who moved away from United Credit: Instagram
Sophie Barker, who was captain at the time, said: “When Maddy found out Grace was going to go so far away, that affected Maddy. She was infatuated with Grace.
“She felt Grace was leaving her – I had to reassure her that Grace was just moving… it didn’t mean they had split or anything like that.”
The United player was found unresponsive at her home address in Horsley, Derbyshire, by her father on September 20, 2023, and died that day.
Maddy’s family sent a written complaint about Jonathan Morgan, head coach of the team, outlining issues allegedly stemming from her relationship with him, Chesterfield Coroner’s Court also heard.
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Maddy previously said her coach James Morgan chatted a lot of rubbish Credit: Getty
Sophie Barker and family members pay tribute in memory of Maddy Credit: Getty
Sophie said: “I remember saying to Maddy’s family, after everything that happened, that if Grace was still local, Maddy would still be here.”
Dean Armstrong KC, representing Maddy’s family, suggested to the ex-captain that Morgan’s behaviour and an absence of support from the club while she adjusted to playing football full-time alongside her marketing job were the principal reasons for Maddy’s decline in mental health.
Sophie countered: “No, I believe Grace was the main reason.”
She said Maddy had told her she felt “anxious” about Morgan joining United in February 2023, because of her experience of working with him at Leicester City years earlier.
The former United captain added: “She explained to me her previous experiences – that he was unprofessional, that he sold her dreams that, when she went there, weren’t real and he chatted a lot of rubbish.”
The inquest heard that Maddy was “willing to give Mr Morgan another chance” and “get her head down”.
Ms Cusack then did not discuss any problems related to Morgan with her captain, the inquest heard.
Sophie told the court: “She had either hid it from me or didn’t tell me because she knew I would say something to Jonathan.
In June 2023, Sophie said Maddy became ‘quieter’ Credit: Getty
Maddy’s family sent a written complaint about Jonathan Morgan Credit: Getty
Maddy really didn’t like confrontation… she knew I would have gone and confronted him about it.”
The inquest heard on Tuesday that Maddy thought the coach was playing “mind games” with her and had made comments about her weight and relationship with Grace.
In June 2023, Sophie said Maddy became “quieter” and “more reserved”, adding: “She turned up and went home.
“She didn’t really contribute to much. It was a completely different person to the Maddy that was the season before, where she was very bubbly.”
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
Floral tributes for Maddy seen outside the stadium Credit: Reuters
Grace Riglar, who played for the club at the same time as her, said the player was “anxious” about Morgan joining.
She said: “I think it was stuff she told me about her previous experience prior to Jonathan coming to Sheffield.”
Morgan joining United was a big cause of Maddy’s stress, which coincided with her being unhappy there, Grave told the court.
Grace also claimed Maddy thought the coach made a “personal attack” on her by not putting her in the starting line-up for matches.
She said Morgan made comments about their relationship and claimed he called her “Mrs Cusack”.
Francesca Carr, who was then the head physiotherapist for United’s women’s team, told the inquest that she did not have concerns Maddy would harm herself.
She told the coroner: “There were players I had more concerns about from a mental health or a coping point of view.”
But Ms Carr did recall Maddy being “heartbroken” on one occasion when she went to the wrong training ground.
The physio told the inquest: “I said ‘we are at this one’ and she just started crying on the phone.
“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.”
The inquest previously heard that Maddy thought Morgan made a “personal attack” on her by not putting her in the starting line-up for matches.
Mr Morgan, who is representing himself in the inquest, asked Ms Carr if the “collaborative decision” not to put Ms Cusack in the starting line-up for his first competitive game at the club was in her “best interests” because of an injury to her ankle.
Ms Carr replied: “I think her not playing then, yes, was in her best interests.”
She added: “Maddy, in my professional opinion, pushed too hard too early on to try and get back fit.”
Asked by Joseph O’Brien KC, who represents Sheffield United, whether she heard Ms Cusack complain about Mr Morgan in the summer of 2023, Ms Carr replied: “No I didn’t.”
The inquest continues.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
