Coach called Cusack 'generally a liar' to FA, inquest told
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- Jonathan Morgan, coach of Maddy Cusack, told the FA she was "generally a liar" after her death, and at Chesterfield Coroner's Court said the comment was based on "things after Maddy passed away" when "it became evident she omitted things to her family and others that I had supported her with."
- Maddy Cusack, 27, was found unresponsive at her home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on September 20 2023; her family sent a written complaint to Sheffield United outlining issues allegedly stemming from her relationship with Morgan, with whom she had previously worked at Leicester City.
- Morgan denied trying to "cut her down to size" by not playing her in his first match at United in February 2023, saying she was instead recovering from a pre-existing injury; she had played the full 90 minutes the week before.
- Morgan denied calling teammate Grace Riglar "Mrs Cusack" in front of other players — an incident Cusack's mother Deborah said would have left her daughter "absolutely humiliated beyond belief" — saying instead he said "Here come the girlfriends" as "tongue-in-cheek banter."
- Morgan said his comment that Cusack was "bottom heavy" referred to her legs being "too muscular" and burning energy when sprinting; on another occasion he told her she looked "much fitter," which she interpreted as him calling her "fat."
- After the comments, Cusack changed her eating and exercise habits, including skipping breakfast and going for extra runs after training, the inquest heard.
- Morgan confirmed he asked players in relationships within the team to disclose them, saying past in-team relationships had "caused scenarios that sort of divided the team's opinion"; the inquest continues.
Why it matters: The inquest is reconstructing the workplace environment around Cusack's death, with her coach's own words — the "generally a liar" FA account, the "bottom heavy" comment, the relationship disclosures — now on the public record and being tested against the family's complaint to the club. A coroner's finding could carry consequences for how Sheffield United and the FA handle internal complaints from women's-team players.
