The former chaplain of Sheffield United, Dr. Delroy Hall, testified at an inquest regarding the death of Maddy Cusack, revealing that she had expressly requested him not to disclose their conversations to the club. Hall, who served in this voluntary capacity from 2017 until November 2023, spoke candidly about his interactions with Cusack, particularly noting that she sought his counsel multiple times in August 2023, emphasizing her wish for confidentiality during their discussions.
During his testimony, Hall indicated that he did not perceive Cusack as being at risk of self-harm; however, she had conveyed feelings of stress stemming from her dual commitments to football and her role in the club’s marketing department. Hall noted that she was consistently occupied, balancing training and work commitments every day of the week. He expressed concern about the sustainability of her working hours, stating that she was taking on a considerable workload. He also recalled her mentioning the demands of traveling four hours to visit her girlfriend, who had recently transferred to Lewes FC in East Sussex.
In an effort to assist her, Hall provided Cusack with suggestions for managing stress, including breathing techniques. He ultimately resigned from his role in November 2023 after supporting some of Cusack’s teammates in the aftermath of her passing, citing uncertainty about to whom he should report within the club.
The inquest also featured testimonies from two prominent Sheffield United executives: Chief Executive Stephen Bettis and Head of Football Administration Carl Shieber. They were questioned about the delay in informing the women’s team about their transition to full-time status, which had caused significant stress among players and staff. The court learned that the delay was partly due to the need for confirmation of the men’s team’s promotion to the Premier League, which was achieved on April 26, 2026, as well as necessary board approvals for funding. Bettis clarified that the women’s team could not advance to full-time status without financial backing from the men’s team, which at one point had even considered cutting funding for the women’s team entirely.
Shieber also discussed the recruitment of Jonathan Morgan as the women’s team manager in February 2023, relaying that he had been informed by the former head of women’s football, Zoe Johnson, about Morgan’s less-than-ideal behavior during a game. Despite this, she believed he was the strongest candidate and recommended that Shieber meet him, leading to his eventual formal interview. Shieber affirmed that he found Morgan to be open and sincere during the interview process.
Furthermore, Shieber stated that he had never been made aware of any struggles that Cusack faced in managing both her roles at the club. Bettis echoed this sentiment, confirming he had also not received any indications regarding Cusack’s difficulties with her workload.
Bettis defended the club’s efforts in transitioning the women’s team to full-time status, asserting that substantial progress had been made over the past three years. During the proceedings, the coroner intervened to address a heated exchange between Bettis and the family’s legal representative.
Bettis stressed his advocacy for increasing the women’s team’s budget, while also highlighting the unsustainable financial model of women’s football at present. He noted that during the 2022-23 season, the club incurred a loss of approximately £750,000 per year on women’s football, which would have doubled had they gone full-time at that time. He projected that losses for the current season could exceed £2 million, emphasizing the need for better revenue streams and internal support for women’s football.
He expressed confidence that sustainability could be achieved in four to five years, underscoring the importance of investment from football clubs and the potential for enhanced broadcast revenues to make women’s football a viable endeavor.
Bettis also shared his fondness for Cusack, describing her as a remarkable individual and stating that there would always be opportunities for her in the club’s marketing department post-football. The inquest is set to continue on Thursday.
If you or someone you know is in need of support, resources are available. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at freephone 116 123. In the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be contacted via call or text at 988, or through 988lifeline.org for online chat. Australians can reach Lifeline at 13 11 14. Additional international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
