An inquest into the death of former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack has revealed allegations that her former manager, Jonathan Morgan, engaged in psychological manipulation. Cusack, who was 27, was discovered unconscious at her Horsley residence by her father on September 20, 2023, and passed away that day.
Testimony provided at the Chesterfield Coroner’s Court indicated that Morgan allegedly referred to Cusack as a “psycho” during his tenure at the club. Grace Riglar, a teammate who was also in a relationship with Cusack, testified that Maddy felt anxious about working with Morgan again, citing past negative interactions from their time at Leicester City.
Riglar described how Cusack felt targeted by Morgan’s team selections, viewing his inconsistent rotation policies as intentional mind games. Furthermore, the court heard that Morgan made inappropriate remarks regarding Cusack’s weight and her romantic relationship with Riglar. According to the testimony, these comments led Cusack to alter her dietary habits and intensify her exercise regimen despite already being one of the team’s most athletic members.
As the new season approached, Cusack reportedly became increasingly paranoid and felt she had no one at the club to confide in without the information reaching her coach. Before her death, she had been prescribed anti-anxiety medication and was actively seeking a career change, expressing a desire to leave football to become a flight attendant in Dubai.
