Maddy Cusack: Sheffield United players felt 'unable to raise concerns', says FA report

A Football Association report into the circumstances surrounding the death of former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack found several players "did not feel supported and felt unable to raise concerns" at the club.

The FA commissioned the report in early 2024, following the midfielder's death, aged 27, in September 2023, and it has not yet been published.

A hearing on Tuesday at Chesterfield Coroners' Court was told the copy of the report that had been shared with the family and others was "provisional", and would only be finalised at the conclusion of the inquest.

However, Dean Armstrong KC - representing the Cusack family - quoted excerpts from it, including that "most [players] particularly did not feel supported and felt unable to raise complaints against their manager and others".

He also read another part of the report that stated "the investigation has shed light on the resourcing issues particularly acute in the women's game and the related welfare and safeguarding issues that might arise".

Nottingham-born Cusack was the first player to reach 100 appearances for Sheffield United, having started her career at Aston Villa and had spells at Birmingham and Leicester City.

Ex-Blades manager Jonathan Morgan, who was appearing via video link, accused Cusack's family of "manipulating information" and fuelling a "narrative" in the 18 months since she died.

He said witnesses put forward by the family were "very one-sided" and there was "no-one to challenge the credibility of those individuals".

Morgan added people who did not "echo" the views of the family had been "cast aside", and requested that he be permitted to put forward witnesses.

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