FA's Cusack report found others felt 'unable to raise concerns'

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.

Coroner Sophie Cartwright is due to issue a written judgement following submissions on issues including the scope of the inquest and witnesses.

Lawyers representing the Cusack family alleged there was a "climate of concern and fear" at Sheffield United in the period leading up to the footballer's death.

It was alleged one witness recalled Morgan labelling a player "cancerous".

They have requested for her inquest be held in front of a jury.

Mr Armstrong KC said there was a "clear public interest" in a jury examining the "position of young vulnerable people, obviously in this case particularly and principally Maddy, often females, who are susceptible and the degree to which they are susceptible to the influence that those in senior positions hold over them in professional or significant sporting contexts".

He added: "There was then and there continues to be a significant difference between the men's game and the women's game in terms of resource but also in terms of how people are dealt with.

"There is that significant public interest in looking at how people conduct themselves within the women's game and what the support network is for those vulnerable females such as Maddy."

No date has been set for the inquest but it will not take place until October 2025 at the earliest.