Maddy Cusack kept mental health secret over fears of stigma, inquest hears

Image source, PA Media Image caption, Maddy Cusack died at her home in Derbyshire in 2023 By Samantha Noble East Midlands Published 29 minutes ago Former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack was concerned she would be stigmatised and ridiculed over her mental health, an inquest has heard. The 27-year-old was found dead at her home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023. Her father, David Cusack, told Chesterfield Coroner's Court that being reunited with a coach she did not like and changes to her contract had left her demotivated. He said: "We thought she was depressed, not suicidal." David Cusack told the court life had been made "unpleasant" for his daughter by coach Jonathan Morgan while she played for Leicester City. He said Maddy "never came across a character" like Morgan before, including the "way he dealt with people". His daughter had been "so happy" to leave Leicester in 2019, he said, and was "loving life" playing part-time for Sheffield United while also working full-time in its marketing team. Her father described Maddy as being "the happiest she had ever been" the Christmas before she died. However, he told the inquest she had been "dismayed" to learn Morgan was joining the club in February 2023. The inquest was told Cusack stopped being so strict about her healthy diet before her death. Her father said: "I think, towards the end, she was demotivated. She didn't let herself go, or anything like that. She was demotivated or deflated." Unhappy with contract Morgan, who is representing himself in the inquest, asked Cusack if he was aware that his daughter left Leicester because she sustained a hamstring injury that limited her playing time. Cusack said he thought his daughter had not played matches at Leicester because of a "clash of personalities". He also told the inquest a new contract to play for Sheffield United full-time given to her in June 2023 had made it difficult to do her marketing work - which became a part-time role - and actually ended up with her being paid less. Cusack told the court that contract had been "the worst thing that could have happened". "We knew she was not very happy about how things had gone. She became unwell in July. I think that was as a result of the contract," he said. "It was strung out most of the summer, that contract." "She was anxious, worried, how she was going to be able to combine the two roles. "The money was less than it was the previous year. She just lost her joie de vivre." Image source, PA Media Image caption, Football players and supporters paid tribute to Cusack after her death Cusack said his daughter could often be working seven days a week, with training and marketing during weekdays and games at the weekend. By August she was "unwell" and "unhappy", he told the court. "She had lost her bounce. She was anxious, worried [about] how she would combine the roles. She had no free time," he said. "It all came back to the relationship with Mr Morgan who should have got off to a fre