Cusack inquest: Coach told FA former Sheffield United player was ‘a liar’

The coach of former Sheffield United footballer Maddy Cusack told the Football Association she was “generally a liar”, an inquest into her death has heard, the BBC reports.

Cusack, 27, was found unconscious by her father David at the family home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023 and was pronounced dead the same day. A two-week inquest into her death is being held at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court.

Jonathan Morgan, who coached Cusack from February 2023 during her time at Sheffield United, gave evidence to the inquest on Monday. According to the BBC, Morgan told the court that when he responded to a claim he had made to the FA that Cusack was “generally a liar”, he said she had “omitted a lot of information” when speaking to her family about his conduct.

Family and team-mates give evidence

The inquest has previously heard from Grace Riglar, who played for the same team and was in a relationship with Cusack. Riglar told the court Cusack had been “anxious” about Morgan joining the club, having previously worked under him at Leicester City.

Cusack’s mother, Deborah, described Morgan as her daughter’s “nemesis” to the inquest, saying he had made comments about her weight and relationship in order to “cut her down to size” and remain “in control”.

Giving his own evidence, Morgan said he had no concerns about his relationship with Cusack when he took charge at Sheffield United, despite having previously released her as a player while he was a coach at Leicester City. He denied ever shouting directly at her during his time at either club.

“There’s definitely evidence to show Maddy omitted information from her family about my support of her,” Morgan told the inquest, according to the BBC. He added: “I never shouted at Maddy Cusack at Sheffield United. I’ve never shouted directly at Maddy at Leicester City.”

Comments about fitness and playing time

The court heard that Cusack had greeted Morgan with a hug on his first day at the Sheffield United training ground. When questioned about her reduced playing time after his arrival, Morgan said she had still been recovering from a foot injury when he picked his first side, and was not selected again until his fourth match in charge because of the form of other players.

Morgan also told the inquest he had said to Cusack during a meeting that she was “too muscular, too bottom-heavy” to carry out the number of sprints required by his style of football. He said her strength and conditioning programme was subsequently altered and her running became “much better” by the end of the season.

Morgan told the court he first noticed a change in Cusack’s demeanour in August 2023, describing her as “less bubbly, less energetic”. He said he arranged a meeting with her on 4 September and afterwards contacted the club doctor, telling them he thought “something was bothering Maddy” and that she might need support.

‘Definitely preventable’, former team-mate says

Earlier in proceedings, former team-mate Nina Wilson told the inquest that Cusack’s death was “definitely preventable” and said Morgan, who is representing himself throughout the hearing, had left a number of players feeling “ostracised and isolated”. The inquest continues, the BBC reports.