Maddy Cusack's coach called her a 'psycho' before her death, inquest hears

Former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack's coach called her a "psycho" before her death, an inquest heard.

Chesterfield Coroner's court heard Jonathan Morgan also made comments about her weight and relationship while he was the manager of the club's women's team.

Cusack, 27, was found unresponsive at her home by her father in Horsley, Derbyshire, in September 2023. She died the same day.

Her girlfriend at the time, fellow United professional footballer Grace Riglar, said Cusack was "anxious" about Jonathan Morgan joining the club in February 2023 after her experience working with him at Leicester City years earlier.

She told the inquest: "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."

Ms Riglar said Mr Morgan joining Sheffield United was a big cause of Cusack's stress, which coincided with her being unhappy at the club.

She added that Cusack thought the coach made a "personal attack" by not putting her in the starting line-up for matches, something which she saw as a "setback" and "impacted her a lot".

"I just think she almost felt like it was a bit of a personal attack and that Jonathan was playing mind games with her by starting her one week and dropping her the next," she said. "She just felt those little things were intentional."

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Comments about relationship and weight

Ms Riglar told the inquest Mr Morgan also made comments about Cusack's relationship with her.

When he joined the Blades, Ms Riglar said he told players in the first meeting that if anyone was in a relationship within the team, they had to tell him.

"She found it uncomfortable when Jonathan would call me 'Mrs Cusack', especially in front of other players," she added.

"We wanted to keep our relationship very professional. The football side and relationship side were very separate."

Ms Riglar also told the court Mr Morgan made a comment about Cusack's weight and she changed her eating and exercise habits.

The footballer told the coroner Cusack had become "paranoid" at the start of the new season.

"She didn't really have anyone she could speak to without it getting back to Jonathan," she added.

'She didn't want to go back to playing football'

The inquest heard Cusack had a sick note from a doctor to have time off football and her marketing job at the Women's Super League 2 team.

She had also been prescribed anti-anxiety medication, the inquest was told.

Before her death, Cusack told her girlfriend she wanted to move to Dubai and be a flight attendant, and had been looking for a new job online.

Ms Riglar told the coroner: "She didn't want to go back to playing football. I don't think she really knew how to get out of that situation."

The inquest continues.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.

(c) Sky News 2026: Maddy Cusack's coach called her a 'psycho' before her death, inquest hears