Sheffield United did not have adequate resources to support their women’s team during their transition to full-time football in the summer of 2023, the club’s former physio has told an inquest into the death of midfielder Maddy Cusack.
Francesca Carr, who worked with the team between 2021 and 2024, told the hearing that the switch from part-time to full-time status felt “rushed”. She stated that staff were forced to carry out duties beyond their roles, including preparing meals for players, and that the squad “probably wouldn’t have known where to go” for human resources support following a change in training venue.
Concerns about league standards
Carr said she wrote to senior club officials on multiple occasions to raise concerns that the team were failing to meet minimum league requirements. She highlighted the absence of a private medical room for treatment as one specific example of provisions that were not ready before the 2023-24 season began.
“Things ought to have been established beforehand,” Carr told the court. “Lots of things didn’t feel like they were quite completed.”
Cusack was found dead at her family home in Derbyshire on 20 September 2023, aged 27, just weeks into the club’s first season of full-time training.
Observations on Cusack’s wellbeing
Carr told the inquest that Cusack was “on her radar” during the summer of 2023 after the player expressed worries about her housing situation and her girlfriend living far away. The physio described an incident where Cusack went to the wrong training ground by mistake, stating her reaction was “excessive” and “wasn’t a normal reaction”.
Following this, Carr said she raised her concerns about Cusack’s wellbeing with manager Jonathan Morgan. She also confirmed that she had advised Morgan that Cusack was not fit to play for his first match in charge against Crystal Palace on 26 February 2023.
The Cusack family have blamed Morgan for a deterioration in the player’s mental health, but Carr told the court she “never saw an issue” in his behaviour. She stated that Morgan “pushed hard” to ensure players received meals when the club was not providing food. Carr also noted that, prior to Cusack’s death, there were other squad members whose mental wellbeing concerned her more.
Evidence from former captain
Sophie Barker, who captained United and was Cusack’s former roommate, also gave evidence. She stated she believed Cusack’s struggles were connected to concerns about affording her house and her girlfriend moving to play for Lewes.
Barker said she could not recall witnessing Morgan shouting at Cusack or displaying negative behaviour towards her, describing his management as “a regular managerial thing”.
Sheffield United chief executive Stephen Bettis is now scheduled to give evidence on 8 July after his session was delayed. Morgan is expected to testify on Monday.