One Blade’s April Challenge for Maddy Cusack | OneFootball

One of football’s best qualities is bringing people together. In the good, the bad, and all that lies in between. In the last eighteen months, away from the pitch, Sheffield United has faced a number of tragedies. Impacting everyone associated with the club.

In times like these, the togetherness of a fanbase can bring some hope for the future. A chance to make things better whilst remembering those that we have lost.

This April, just over eighteen months since Maddy Cusack’s death. Blades fan, Tommy Smith, known online as Smiggy Designs, is completing a challenge for the MC8 Foundation that will both remember Maddy and bring hope to girls looking to get into the sport she loved.

The Challenge

Tommy aims to run eight kilometres a day every day in April. The distance honouring Maddy’s shirt number for the Blades. His challenge will raise money for the MC8 Foundation. The foundation was created by Maddy’s family to keep her legacy alive and improve the world of women’s football.

Tommy has admired the work completed by the foundation and loved the idea of helping out.

He said: “In the past few years I’ve seen the great work being done by The Maddy Cusack foundation. It seems like such a great, close knit charity and community.”

It’s only when you realise that Tommy will have ran 240 kilometres by the end of April, that you realise just how much he wants to help the charity out. To put that in perspective that’s just under six marathons in a month, which for Tommy will be no mean feet.

On whether he’d done any training, he said: “Nope, call me stupid but no training at all! I have never ran more than 5K, but that’s why it’s a challenge!”

Maddy’s legacy

(Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)

To run such a distance over the next month with no prior training requires strong motivation and a lot of determination.

As Blades our main ask of players is that they are motivated to play for the badge and understand it’s meaning. From there the determination to battle for what that means should show in the player’s performances out on the pitch.

If you ever had the privilege to watch Maddy play for the Blades. Or have read about her love for the club since her death. You’ll know she had both of those traits. She’s named ‘Miss Sheffield United’ not only because of her record appearances. But, because she understood what the club means. Adopting the city and especially the Blades into her character. You can’t ask more from a Blades player than that.

Tommy’s challenge is a way to repay Maddy for her efforts at the club.

Tommy said: “It’s massively important to keep her memory alive. She was a huge part of Sheffield United, over 100 appearances, and she saw the women’s team rise over the years.

“She was truly a legend at Sheffield United women. The foundation needs awareness because it helps girls get into football. Plus, it also focuses on personal wellbeing and that’s a great factor of the charity.”

Support

If you would like to support Tommy’s Challenge and the Maddy Cusack foundation. You can head to the challenge’s Go Fund Me page. At the time of writing, the donation total is almost at 60% of the challenge’s £500 target. With Tommy and the foundation very appreciative of any donations that are made.

Additionally, if you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to:

Samaritans helpline: 116 123

Mind helpline: 0300 102 1234

CALM helpline: 0800 58 58 58