The £40million man has walked the same path as Nick Woltemade and played the role of big brother at the end of the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates Jacob Murphy and Joelinton
Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammates Jacob Murphy and Joelinton
(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
Nick Woltemade had just made a debut to remember as the St James' Park crowd celebrated a much-needed victory that lifted them into the top half of the table on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old's header at the Leazes End was the perfect tonic for Newcastle fans after a long summer of transfer pain and the inevitable breakdown of Eddie Howe's relationship with Alexander Isak.
But hopes spring eternal once again on Tyneside thanks to a block many fans are already affectionally referring to as "Big Nick".
It was Woltemade that quickly erased memories of Isak to the point that there were no anti-Isak chants in the first Premier League game since his sale.
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And that alone is a massive positive for both the club and Howe and his coaching staff, who have been desperately trying to turn the page on Isak-gate from the moment he refused to get on a plane to Singapore in July.
He's already been roared on to the hallowed turf ahead of the clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers - and that was just the warm-up.
Then his name was cheered to the heights of Level 7 when the PA read out the team sheet, but he looked like a man eager to start his playing career with the black and whites.
Some tidy early touches resulted in a few mutters of "canny touch for big lad" around the Milburn Stand, and the way he galloped after a loose ball when a throw-in move broke down had fans warming their hands.
But the crucial moment came on the half-hour mark as he timed his run and nodded past Sam Johnstone at the back post.
Soon after, chants of "Woltemade, ole, ole, ole" erupted from the Gallowgate End, and the script seemed almost written!
Newcastle could have had more after that in the first half but the second period was a non-event and after Woltemade went off on 65 minutes, fans and reporters were counting down the seconds in the hope of a win and the German star grabbing all of the headlines.
In the end, he did, and he fully deserved it, but then came the magical bit as Woltemade made his way around the field for a lap of appreciation after the narrow win over Wolves.
That was after his exhausted team-mates, who'd sunk to the ground on the final whistle, had got back on their feet of course!
However, with his bench jacket on and clutching a bottle of water, Woltemade slowly made his way around the field to soak in the applause.
But what about Joelinton's contribution to the after-match celebrations?
Here's a man who once arrived at Newcastle with a big price tag on his shoulders and knows what those early steps are like at a big club.
When he signed for £40m, he was under the cosh straight away with the added pressure of the no.9 shirt.
Howe had said earlier in the week Woltemade was under "enough pressure" without any extra demands placed upon him and Newcastle opted against any grand Press unveiling.
That was clearly understood around the squad and it was a lovely touch from Joelinton to shove Woltemade towards the Gallowgate End to milk the applause.
As Joelinton waved his arms up and down in the air to ask for more noise for Woltemade, it was clear the former Bundesliga striker had quickly emerged as a fan favourite.
On the way out of St James' Park, as most fans had gone home, one well-served Newcastle fan remained alone and hilariously belted out: "Gimme, gimme a striker from Stuttgart!"
It certainly seems that the page has already been well and truly turned with Isak now all but a distant memory!