Alex McKinnon responds to Newcastle Knight’s ‘insensitive oversight’ relating to spinal charity promotion

Alex McKinnon has been inundated with support from fans and players after revealing he felt let down over the Knights’ failure to reach out to him about promoting a spinal charity.

Alex McKinnon has been inundated with support from Knights fans and both current and past players following an insensitive oversight from the Newcastle club related to the promotion of a spinal charity during a game against the Storm last weekend.

McKinnon revealed on social media that he felt let down that the Knights failed to contact him ahead of a decision to partner with the Stronger Together Foundation, a spinal injury support network, against the Storm, the same team the club played when he suffered a life changing spinal injury in 2014.

McKinnon paid for his own tickets to the game – a process he added he had no issue with.

But he said rather than being upset by the weekend’s event, it was his family that felt aggrieved by the situation.

“In short, I wasn’t personally upset by the weekend’s events, if anything, I found the irony of it being against the Storm a bit funny,’’ McKinnon wrote on X.

“It felt like a missed opportunity to connect with the Storm and back a great cause, raising funds and awareness for those living with spinal cord injuries.

Alex McKinnon called the club’s lack of communication an “insensitive oversight”.

“David and Kath from the Stronger Together Foundation are incredible people.

“I caught up with them on Thursday and knew their charity was the match day partner. They kindly asked me to be involved, but I had other commitments.

“I fully supported them from afar.

Alex McKinnon's Instagram story on Wednesday.

“What disappointed my family (and many who reached out) was the club’s lack of communication & awareness.

“In my view, not reaching out beforehand was an insensitive oversight.

“As for tickets, I regularly buy them for my family to sit on the hill, I have for years. I love the game-day experience and sharing it with my kids. I’m a fan.’’

The Daily Telegraph understands McKinnon has been overwhelmed by messages from fans and players from the club to offer their support and disappointment that the Knights had failed to realise the sensitivity of using the Storm game to promote a spinal injury charity.

Originally published as Alex McKinnon responds to Newcastle Knight’s ‘insensitive oversight’ relating to spinal charity promotion