A former captain of Sheffield United's women's football team has told an inquest that Maddy Cusack would still be alive if her girlfriend had not moved away to another club. The inquest into Cusack's death continues at Chesterfield Coroner's Court.
Captain's testimony highlights relationship as key factor
Sophie Barker, who was captain of the women's team at the time, said she told Cusack's family that "Maddy would still be here" if her girlfriend Grace Riglar had not transferred from United to a different football club. Barker stated: "When Maddy found out Grace was going to go so far away, that affected Maddy. She felt Grace was leaving me - I had to reassure her that Grace was just moving... it didn't mean they had split or anything like that."
Barker added: "I remember saying to Maddy's family, after everything that happened, that if Grace was still local Maddy would still be here."
Family's complaint about head coach
Cusack's family had sent a written complaint about head coach Jonathan Morgan, outlining issues allegedly stemming from her relationship with him. Dean Armstrong KC, representing Cusack's family, suggested to Barker that Morgan's behaviour and a lack of support from the club in adjusting to her full-time football role alongside her marketing job were the principal reasons for Cusack's decline in mental health.
Barker disagreed, saying: "No, I believe Grace was the main reason." She said Cusack had told her she felt "anxious" about Morgan joining United in February 2023, because of her previous experience working with him at Leicester years earlier. Barker recalled: "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."
Teammate's observations of Cusack's state
The inquest heard that Cusack was "willing to give Morgan another chance" and "get her head down". She did not discuss any problems related to Morgan with Barker. Barker told the court: "She had either hid it from me or didn't tell me because she knew I would say something to Jonathan. Maddy really didn't like confrontation... she knew I would have gone and confronted him about it."
In June 2023, Barker noticed Cusack 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."
Physiotherapist's evidence
Francesca Carr, then head physiotherapist for United's women's team, told the inquest she did not have concerns Cusack would harm herself. She said: "There were players I had more concerns about from a mental health or a coping point of view." However, Carr recalled Cusack being "heartbroken" on one occasion when she went to the wrong training ground. Carr testified: "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 Cusack thought Morgan made a "personal attack" on her by not putting her in the starting line-up for matches. Morgan, representing himself, asked Carr if the "collaborative decision" not to start Cusack in his first competitive game was in her "best interests" due to an ankle injury. 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, representing Sheffield United, whether she heard Cusack complain about Morgan in summer 2023, Carr replied: "No I didn't." The inquest continues.
