Footballer Maddy Cusack’s coach called her a ‘psycho’, inquest hears

Former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack’s coach had called her a “psycho” and was playing mind games with her before her death, an inquest has heard.

Chesterfield Coroner’s Court heard that Jonathan Morgan also made comments about Cusack’s weight and relationship while he was the manager of United’s women’s team, which made her feel uncomfortable.

The 27-year-old was found unconscious by her father at their family home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on September 20 2023, and she died the same day.

Fellow professional footballer Grace Riglar, who played for United at the same time as Ms Cusack and was in a relationship with her, said the player was “anxious” about Morgan joining the club in February 2023 after her experience of working with him at Leicester City years earlier.

She told the inquest on Tuesday: “I think it was stuff she told me about her previous experience prior to Jonathan coming to Sheffield.

“I think she said that they played a game against a team while Jonathan was the manager. She had done something on the pitch and Jonathan called her a psycho from the sideline.

“I don’t think she let anyone know those types of comments affected her but they did and they made her uncomfortable.”

She said Morgan joining United was a big cause of Ms Cusack’s stress, which coincided with her being unhappy there.

Riglar added that Cusack thought the coach made a “personal attack” on her by not putting her in the starting line-up for matches.

She told the court: “She was used to starting every game, she was an important member of the team. When Jonathan came, she was in and out from the starting team a bit.

“Her going from starting to being on the bench quite a lot, she saw that as a setback. That impacted her a lot.

“I just