Nick Woltemade opens up on Sunderland nightmare and Newcastle fan support

Nick Woltemade has spoken candidly about how a nightmare moment against Sunderland could have derailed his Newcastle United career — and why the club’s supporters instead helped him come through it stronger.

The German forward endured one of the toughest introductions imaginable to the Tyne-Wear rivalry, but insists the response from fans convinced him he is “in the right place” at St James’ Park.

The low point came in the derby defeat to Sunderland, when Nick Woltemade headed into his own net to condemn Newcastle United to a 1-0 loss.

As expected, the incident quickly became a talking point on Wearside, and Woltemade admitted he had real concerns over how Newcastle supporters would react after costing the club in such a significant fixture.

Rather than turning on him, however, the response was the opposite.

Speaking in Newcastle’s matchday programme, Woltemade revealed how the immediate support he received caught him off guard.

“When I scored the own goal, I didn’t know how people would react because of course it’s the most important game for the fans,” he said. “When I came to the dressing room, I was really sad and then I looked at my phone and already had good messages.

“No-one was blaming me. After this moment, the feeling was really bad but the fans made it easier for me.”

The striker admitted the disappointment still lingers, particularly because of what the fixture means to supporters.

“I’m still really sad about it, especially in this game that I couldn’t give it to the fans after what they gave me in the first weeks and months,” he added.

Just days later, Woltemade was back on the pitch during a Carabao Cup tie against Fulham — and what followed left a lasting impression.

“But when I came on against Fulham, this reaction is not normal. It’s special,” he said. “I was hoping for the reaction but I never expected it. Everyone was screaming my name and my songs after what happened.

“I can only really say thank you to the fans for this and it gives me a good feeling that I’m in the right place.”

Woltemade also spoke about settling into life on Tyneside, insisting that the wider environment around the club has played a major role in his positive start.

“My family really like it here. Everyone is really friendly and open-minded and that’s what I like the most,” he explained. “As a player, you can feel the support and it gives me a good feeling.”

That backing, he believes, has directly influenced his performances.

“I think that's why I scored early on and had a good start. A part of why I’m already so good in games and scoring goals is because of the fans and the feeling they give me.”

Woltemade will now look to maintain momentum as Newcastle navigate a demanding run of fixtures, with the forward keen to repay the faith shown in him after a difficult moment.

The return Tyne-Wear derby in March is already marked on the calendar — but for now, the focus is firmly on building consistency and continuing his positive start in black and white.

Did Newcastle fans make the difference in helping Woltemade recover — and could this moment define his long-term future at the club?