The inquest into the death of Sheffield United midfielder Maddy Cusack has been adjourned for a second time this year and will not resume before 7 December. The coroner told the court that fresh documentation had been submitted, necessitating the recall of former medical personnel to give additional testimony.
Dr Basu, the club’s former doctor, and Francesca Carr, the former physiotherapist, could be recalled to provide further evidence. The court may also request testimony from Sean Bowskill, the former assistant physio, as investigators examine the new material lodged with the coroner.
Second delay of 2026
This marks the second time proceedings have stalled in 2026. The hearing was due to start on 5 January but was pushed back to 29 June after Cusack’s family received 699 pages of new evidence from the club just ten days before Christmas 2025. Lawyers for the family described the timing as “totally unacceptable,” though the coroner accepted Sheffield United had complied with disclosure requirements.
Cusack died on 20 September 2023 at the age of 27. She served as a midfielder for the women’s team while simultaneously working in the club’s marketing department under a dual contract. The inquest has already heard eight full days of evidence regarding the circumstances surrounding her death.
Confidential conversations and club pressures
Earlier in the proceedings, Dr Delroy Hall, who served as the club’s voluntary chaplain between 2017 and November 2023, testified that Cusack had explicitly requested confidentiality regarding their discussions. Hall stated she asked him repeatedly: “Please don’t tell anyone I’m talking to you.”
Hall told the court that Cusack found it difficult to balance her football and marketing responsibilities, which left her occupied seven days a week. She also mentioned the strain of driving four hours to visit her girlfriend, who had relocated to Lewes FC in East Sussex during the summer of 2023. Hall advised her that her schedule was unsustainable and offered coping mechanisms such as breathing techniques.
Senior club officials have also given evidence regarding the working environment. Chief executive Stephen Bettis and head of football administration Carl Shieber testified about the financial pressures facing the women’s team. Shieber revealed the club was losing approximately £750,000 annually on women’s football and that the transition to full-time status for the players was delayed until after the men’s team clinched top-flight promotion on 26 April 2026.
The court heard that this delay in confirming full-time contracts caused significant stress among players. Bettis maintained that he had advocated for increased investment in the women’s team but defended the timeline, arguing that women’s football requires greater broadcast revenue to become financially sustainable.
The Football Association launched an investigation following Cusack’s death. The findings have not been made public but have been provided to the coroner for consideration.
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