Inquest hears coach described Maddy Cusack as 'generally a liar' to FA

An inquest into the death of former Sheffield United women's footballer Maddy Cusack has heard that her coach, Jonathan Morgan, described her as 'generally a liar' during an account given to the Football Association. The 27-year-old was found unconscious at her family home in Derbyshire on 20 September 2023 and was pronounced dead the same day.

Morgan, who coached Cusack from February 2023 at Sheffield United, provided evidence to the two-week inquest at Chesterfield Coroner's Court on Monday. He stated that Cusack had 'omitted a lot of information' when speaking to her family about his behaviour, which led to his comment to the FA.

Family's concerns and prior relationship

Cusack's mother, Deborah, described Morgan as her daughter's 'nemesis', alleging he made remarks about her weight and relationship in an attempt to 'cut her down to size' and maintain control. The inquest also heard from Grace Riglar, a teammate and Cusack's partner, who said Cusack was 'anxious' about Morgan's appointment due to previous experiences with him at Leicester City.

Morgan had previously released Cusack during his time as a coach at Leicester City. He told the inquest he had no concerns about their relationship upon joining Sheffield United and denied shouting at her at the club.

• Cusack was 27 when she died on 20 September 2023.
• Morgan gave evidence about his account to the FA, including the 'generally a liar' remark.
• He claimed Cusack omitted details about his support when speaking to her family.
• Cusack's mother called Morgan her daughter's 'nemesis' and alleged weight comments.
• Teammate Grace Riglar said Cusack was anxious about Morgan's arrival.

Playing time and other evidence

Morgan explained that Cusack's limited playing time after his arrival was partly due to a foot injury and the form of other players. He said she was not selected until his fourth game in charge. The inquest also heard that Morgan had asked Cusack to disclose her relationship with Riglar to the team, which she did, and that he later made a joke about the couple, which they responded to with a joke about his weight.

The inquest continues, with further evidence expected from other witnesses involved in the investigation into Cusack's death.