​An inquest into the death of former Sheffield United footballer Maddy Cusack has been adjourned until December. Cusack, aged 27, was found unconscious by her father, David, at their family home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023 and later pronounced dead the same day. The inquest, which began at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court on 29 June, had been due to conclude on 27 July.
Assistant coroner Sophie Cartwright KC apologised to Cusack’s family for the delay and then adjourned the hearing until 7 December to give Sheffield United time to locate documents connected to her medical records. During the proceedings, it emerged that Cusack’s family had written a complaint to Sheffield United shortly after her death, alleging issues connected to her working relationship with the club’s coach, Jonathan Morgan. Cusack’s mother, Deborah, described the coach as her daughter’s “nemesis,” claiming he had made comments about her weight and relationship in an effort to “cut her down to size” and keep her “in control.”
Tributes from football players and supporters followed Cusack’s passing. Grace Riglar, a former teammate who was in a relationship with Cusack, testified that Cusack had been “anxious” about Morgan’s arrival at the club following his prior involvement with her at Leicester City.
Morgan gave evidence and stated that he had no concerns about his relationship with Cusack when he became manager of Sheffield United. He told the inquest he had offered Cusack a full-time contract and was pleased to have her in his squad. However, the hearing also revealed that Morgan had described Cusack to the Football Association as “generally a liar,” claiming she had omitted substantial information when discussing his conduct with her family. It was noted that he had previously released Cusack during his time as a coach at Leicester City.
Cartwright indicated that the adjournment was necessary to obtain further information about Cusack’s medical records. Sheffield United would be asked to search its Microsoft Teams folders and Google Drive to locate any materials related to Cusack, and an audit of her health records within the club’s systems in the months leading up to her death would be requested. Earlier, the inquest had learned from the club’s doctor, Dr Subhasis Basu, that Cusack’s medical records from her time with the club had been lost.
Speaking to Cusack’s family, the assistant coroner expressed understanding of the length of their wait for answers and offered apologies for the delays. Cartwright confirmed that several witnesses would be recalled, including Dr Basu and the club’s physiotherapist, Francesca Carr. Cusack’s mother, Deborah, may also be called again to give further evidence. The proceedings highlighted the ongoing complications around access to medical records and the need for additional information before the inquest can proceed to a final conclusion.