Sheffield United to Pay Tribute to Maddy Cusack Before Men’s Match Against Newcastle
Sheffield United will pay tribute to Maddy Cusack before their men’s match against Newcastle on Sunday to “celebrate and honour” her life. Cusack, a midfielder at the Women’s Championship club, died on Wednesday at the age of 27.
She became the first player to reach 100 appearances for United’s women’s team last season, while she also worked in the club’s marketing department. “A number of activities are planned to remember her,” the club said. The Premier League match kicks off at 16:30 BST.
“Ahead of the Newcastle game, we will celebrate and honour the life of Maddy Cusack, a loved and respected figure of the Sheffield United family,” the club said. “There will forever be a void in the hearts of everyone connected to the club. We would politely ask supporters to be in their seats for 16:15 to partake.”
Speaking on Friday, Sheffield United men’s manager Paul Heckingbottom said Cusack was a “big part of everything” at the club. The cause of her death has not yet been announced. Before joining the Blades in 2019, Cusack also played for Birmingham, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Tributes were also paid before England played Scotland at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Friday, with players from both sides wearing black armbands and a period of silence held before kick-off in her memory. This weekend’s FA Women’s National League fixtures between Newcastle United and Burnley, and Nottingham Forest and Liverpool Feds, have been postponed due to Cusack being a former team-mate of several of the players due to be involved. All remaining fixtures in the league will hold a minute’s silence before kick-off.
The death of Maddy Cusack has sent shockwaves through the football world, with Sheffield United set to pay tribute to her before their men’s match against Newcastle on Sunday. Cusack was a midfielder at the Women’s Championship club and had become the first player to reach 100 appearances for United’s women’s team last season, while she also worked in the club’s marketing department.
The Premier League match kicks off at 16:30 BST and the club has asked supporters to be in their seats for 16:15 to partake in the tribute to Cusack, who was a “loved and respected figure of the Sheffield United family”. Speaking on Friday, Sheffield United men’s manager Paul Heckingbottom said Cusack was a “big part of everything” at the club and that there would be a void in the hearts of everyone connected to the club following her death at the age of 27.
Before joining the Blades in 2019, Cusack had also played for Birmingham, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest and tributes were paid before England played Scotland at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Friday, with players from both sides wearing black armbands and a period of silence held before kick-off in her memory. This weekend’s FA Women’s National League fixtures between Newcastle United and Burnley, and Nottingham Forest and Liverpool Feds, have been postponed due to Cusack being a former team-mate of several of the players due to be involved and all remaining fixtures in the league will hold a minute’s silence before kick-off as a mark of respect for her life and career.
The cause of Cusack’s death has not yet been announced but her passing has been felt throughout the football world and her memory will live on through those who knew her and those who were inspired by her career on and off the pitch.