2 hours ago 
Image source, PA Media
Maddy Cusack was recovered unconscious astatine her location successful Derbyshire successful 2023
ByGeorge Torr
at Chesterfield Coroner's Court
Former Sheffield United footballer Maddy Cusack would inactive beryllium live if the manager of the women's squad - described successful tribunal arsenic her "nemesis" - had not been employed, her parent has told an inquest.
Maddy, 27, was recovered unconscious by her begetter David astatine their household location successful Horsley, Derbyshire, connected 20 September 2023 and died the aforesaid day.
Chesterfield Coroner's Court heard Cusack's household had complained astir the team's caput coach, Jonathan Morgan - who joined the nine successful February 2023 - outlining issues allegedly stemming from her narration with him.
Mother Deborah Cusack said Morgan made comments astir her daughter's value and narration to "cut her down to size" and beryllium "in control".
Under cross-examination by Morgan, who is representing himself successful the inquest, Deborah said: "You request to recognize I'm not blaming you for what she did, but you made her consciousness however she felt.
"It's the small knocks each present and again. You had to travel successful and chopped her down to size.
"She was 1 of the best-known players [at Sheffield United]. Like you did astatine Leicester [City], you needed to beryllium successful control.
"There's a nonstop enactment - if you hadn't been employed, Maddy would beryllium present today."
The tribunal antecedently heard Maddy's beingness had been made "unpleasant" by manager Morgan portion she played for Leicester City, and was "so blessed to leave" successful 2019 to articulation Sheffield United.
But the inquest was told she had been "dismayed" to larn Morgan was joining the Blades successful February 2023.
Deborah said her girl did not conscionable play for the badge, but "lived and breathed" for Sheffield United.
She added conscionable earlier Morgan took over, Maddy became a poster miss for the club, arsenic the Blades erected a "massive" billboard of her, which "she loved".
Asked astir Morgan's return, Deborah said: "Madeleine said she felt similar past was repeating itself.
"She was devastated, it was similar her nemesis returning... we'd ne'er travel crossed a quality similar that before."
The inquest heard that Morgan had called Maddy "bottom heavy" aft helium joined the club, which prompted her to "try to get fitter and thinner" by changing her eating habits and going connected runs aft training.
Deborah was asked by the coroner if her girl had intelligence wellness issues before.
"Absolutely not," she said.
"We had never, ever had intelligence wellness issues before. She was a bright, bubbly assured miss - she was conscionable mean Madeleine."
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Football players and supporters paid tribute to Cusack aft her death
The inquest has besides heard from erstwhile squad skipper Sophie Barker, who claimed that Maddy's woman Grace Riglar moving to a antithetic nine was the main crushed for her intelligence wellness issues.
When asked astir this, Deborah said: "I request to quash that - that was an sentiment of idiosyncratic who had a fractured narration with Madeleine for galore months before.
"I cognize my daughter, that is wholly not true."
She added her girl would person been "absolutely humiliated beyond belief" erstwhile manager Morgan called Riglar "Mrs Cusack" successful beforehand of their teammates, due to the fact that she wanted to support her narration private.
The tribunal heard Maddy felt interest that if she had to halt playing for Sheffield United, it would "compromise her job" successful the selling department.
"She felt specified overmuch pridefulness moving retired astatine Bramall Lane - if she didn't play shot there, past she felt it would beryllium excessively upsetting to spell into the office," Deborah said.
The tribunal besides was work a fig of substance messages Maddy sent to her mother. One said: "Had it been immoderate different manager, I wouldn't consciousness similar this."
In different message, Deborah asked if it would beryllium beneficial to spell and talk to Stephen Bettis, the club's main enforcement officer.
In response, Maddy said: "They don't attraction astir women's football, I volition lone marque it worse."
Addressing the court, Deborah said: "She thought they would basal by [Jonathan Morgan] and not her."
'Shambolic' declaration process
Deborah added her girl was "relieved but surprised" astatine being offered a full-time declaration to play for Sheffield United successful June 2023.
The inquest heard Maddy was "anxious" astir however she would divided the roles - with her combined wage being little than it was previously.
Deborah said the declaration process was "shambolic".
She added players who were sidelined by Morgan would nonstop substance messages betwixt them to "get them through" it.
"They were sidelined but they were together," Deborah said.
"She referred to them being successful prison, connected parole erstwhile playing and Morgan was the situation warden."
Deborah said she took her girl to her GP, but added Maddy was acrophobic astir being signed disconnected enactment for intelligence wellness issues, and feared being stigmatised. She was signed disconnected arsenic being "generally unwell".
The club's doctor, Dr Subhashis Basu, told the inquest connected Thursday that Maddy's aesculapian records from her clip astatine United had been lost.
Asked by adjunct coroner Sophie Cartwright KC wherefore helium did not bring this to the attraction of the coronial investigation, Basu said: "If that question had been asked to maine directly, I would person done."
Dean Armstrong KC, representing the Cusack family, asked Dr Basu wherefore helium did not spell to United's information extortion serviceman astir the information loss.
He said: "My presumption was to interaction the aesculapian records institution archetypal to effort and code the problem. I judge I did rise it."
He aboriginal added: "I was dilatory to study that. I did rise it eventually."
The inquest continues.
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