Teammate Advocates for Enhanced Support in Women’s Football Following Maddy Cusack’s Death

Following Maddy Cusack’s death in September 2023, her teammate Nina Wilson stated her conviction that football played a role. Wilson has now publicly advocated for enhanced support for young athletes, expressing her desire for future footballers to experience being “valued and protected” by their respective clubs. Cusack and Wilson’s initial encounter occurred in 2021, when Wilson transferred to Sheffield United from Brighton Hove Albion. However, according to goalkeeper Wilson, both she and Cusack reportedly fell “out of favour” following the appointment of head coach Jonathan Morgan in February 2023. While Wilson was on loan at Wolverhampton, she reported upon her return that she was subsequently prohibited from training with the team. Wilson characterized her final six months at the club, stating she felt “crushed” by the prevailing environment and labeling that period as the worst six months of her life. “Everyone gets dropped and football is ultimately about performance. But when you go into work every day and people walk past you and you feel completely valueless, it’s easy to slip into a very dark hole, especially when you’ve given up your whole life to play football.” “And that’s the issue, when I had enjoyed it so much. I just had an awful time for the last six months, very isolated with a lack of support.” Wilson indicated that Cusack likewise experienced adverse effects from the shift in circumstances. “That bubbly person vanished. She wouldn’t say a word at training. She was doing extra fitness sessions, extra running. She always did extra, but she was doing a lot.” “She wouldn’t say a bad word about anyone, so it was difficult for anyone to understand what was going on because she was trying to be professional but it was easy to see she wasn’t herself.” Cusack’s death occurred in September 2023, when she was discovered at her residence in Derbyshire. Sheffield United initiated an inquiry into the circumstances preceding Cusack’s death, which concluded with no findings of misconduct at the club. An investigation by the Football Association, which commenced in January, remains ongoing. An inquest into the death is slated for April 2025. Jonathan Morgan was dismissed by Sheffield United in February, following the separate revelation of a relationship he had with a player at Leicester, his former club. Off the pitch, Wilson characterized Cusack as an “absolute sweetheart.” She stated: “She was the funniest person I’ve ever met, genuinely one of the best teammates I’ve had.” Cusack held a part-time contract for playing football concurrently with a position in the club’s commercial division. Her family had previously articulated the “pressure” she experienced from managing both responsibilities. The Maddy Cusack Foundation was established by them with the aim of transforming the culture of women’s football and guaranteeing the provision of psychological support within every club. Wilson commented: “We want girls at the age of four and five to play football like me and Maddy did, but we want them to go into a safe environment, into clubs where they feel valued and protected and where staff are looking out for them and are trained in mental wellbeing and warning signs.” Upon learning of Cusack’s death, Wilson recounted that she “knew what that meant immediately.” “It was very obvious to me that football was involved in some way. I knew nothing would be the same again. I don’t think football will ever be the same for me.” A spokesperson for Sheffield United affirmed that the club provides an external and independent whistleblowing service, a dedicated women’s safeguarding officer, a player care officer, and access to internal mental health first aiders and wellbeing services. They stated: “As with the game in general, Sheffield United Women continue to grow and evolve, which includes transitioning from part-time to full-time.” “Additionally, there are further plans to strengthen the support staff of the women’s team.” “There is currently a Football Association investigation ongoing with regards to a number of the points raised, Sheffield United has fully co-operated in this regard and continue to respectfully await the outcome.” Wilson conveyed her hope that the Foundation’s initiatives would not only encourage girls to participate in football but also motivate clubs and staff to enhance their practices. “That would be a fantastic legacy to have and that would sum up Maddy to a tee.”