Footballer’s legacy will be ‘a voice for girls’

Maddy Cusack always loved football.

Her sister Olivia remembers how she’d often rope her siblings in for a kickabout, using them for target practice.

It is a memory that comes back to her as she stands in the park in Derby where Maddy loved to train.

“It’s a sacred place for us really,” says Olivia Cusack. “Because it holds so much love and a lot of memories.”

Maddy went on to played for Sheffield United Women from 2019 and became the first player to represent the club 100 times.

A vigil later on Friday will mark one year since the day Maddy was found dead at her home, aged 27.

Her family said her spirit had “been broken” by the sport she loved.

Maddy’s club was cleared of any wrongdoing by an external investigation, and a Football Association (FA) inquiry launched in January is ongoing.

An inquest to establish the circumstances around Maddy’s death has been adjourned until the FA reaches its conclusions.

While her family continues to wait for answers, they are turning their attention to her legacy.

“It’s been a year since we lost Maddy,” says Olivia. “A year since our lives completely got turned upside down.

“I have to trust that she can see what we’re doing and is proud.

“That’s the main motivation.”

Maddy’s family has previously spoken about her facing financial pressures and balancing a full-time marketing job in Sheffield United’s offices with her role in the squad.

The FA hasn’t said exactly what it’s looking into, but wanted to assess whether it needed to take any action.

“We asked for a thorough investigation,” says Olivia.

“That’s definitely what they’ve done as it’s been a while now.

“I hope the FA do the right thing.

“It’s important we don’t skim over what happened.”

Regardless of the outcome, the 25-year-old says there’s no way things can stay the same in women’s football.

“I’d like to think that after what’s happened to my sister, there’s no way there can’t be any change.

“Maddy ultimately lost her life and her spirit to football and it’s important that nobody else goes through that.”

Maddy’s family has launched a foundation in her name to support women and girls in football and hopes to be a voice for them too.

“You can’t bury your head in the sand,” says Olivia.

“You need to stand up for these girls and stand up for Maddy ultimately as well.

“We just really wanted to find what was missing and give these girls a voice.”

They recently hit a £50,000 milestone, something Olivia says she “never even dreamed of”.

“It made me really proud,” she says.

“I thought, we could really change the game here and change young girls’ lives.”

Some of the money raised goes towards supporting girls like eight-year-old Neveah, who idolised Maddy.

Neveah’s mum, Beth, tells Newsbeat the love started when she was assigned the same number football shirt.

“She’d see Maddy play and say, ‘Mum that’s me – I’m number eight, I’m going to be like Maddy’.”

Last year, Neveah was a mascot for Sheffield United and chose to walk out with Maddy, which Beth says helped to “grow her love of football”.

When Maddy died, Beth says Neveah “took it really hard” and, in December, the foundation offered to pay for her to have new boots – something the family had done for Maddy every Christmas.

Since then it has also sponsored her kit.

“She was very touched by that,” Beth says.

“We always get in touch with the family because she likes to tell them how many goals she’s scored for Maddy.”

Although Neveah is sometimes the only girl on the pitch, she is generally supported and encouraged in the sport, says Beth.

But she knows that might not always be the case, and that is why the work of the foundation is so important.

“[Girls] need to know that support is available for them,” she says.

“I just hope Neveah’s journey through football, however long it is, continues to be positive.”

Olivia says her sister was “loved and adored and an inspiration to so many”.

“My main focus with the foundation is to carry that on for as long as I can and to bring her to life for as long as I can as well.”

There will be a vigil for Maddy later and she will also be remembered at a match between Sheffield United and Derby County – the club Maddy supported – on Saturday.

“She would’ve been there for sure,” Olivia says of her big sister. “With a beaming smile.”

A spokesperson for Sheffield United told Newsbeat they were pleased to mark the anniversary with the match.

“The thoughts of everyone associated with Sheffield United Football Club remain with the Cusack family, as well as Maddy’s friends, colleagues and team-mates,” they added.

The FA said it would not be appropriate to comment while it was still investigating.

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