List of Bolton Wanderers F.C. seasons

This is a list of league seasons played by Bolton Wanderers Football Club in English and European football, from 1888 to the current season. The club was founded in 1874 by the Reverend John Farrall Wright.

Bolton Wanderers league performances

The club has won the FA Cup four times and the Charity Shield once. They have competed in the UEFA Cup on two occasions.

The club's highest league position is third in the First Division, achieved three times, in 1891–92, 1920–21 and 1924–25. Their lowest league position is third in the fourth tier (Fourth Division and League Two), twice in 1987–88 and 2020–21, the only seasons they competed in the lowest professional tier.

Champions Runners-up Play-offs Promoted Relegated

Division shown in bold to indicate a change in division.
Top scorers shown in bold are players who were also top scorers in their division that season.

Seasons

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Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe / Other Top goalscorer(s)[a]
Division Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos Player Goals
1881–82 R2 William Struthers 2
1882–83 R3 William Struthers 7
1883–84 R4 R. Steel 6
1884–85 DNE Unknown
1885–86 R3 L. Fallon 2
1886–87 R3 Kenny Davenport
Hewitson
William Struthers
3
1887–88 R2 James Brogan
Bob Roberts
2
1888–89 FL 22 10 2 10 63 59 22 5th DNE James Brogan 13
1889–90 22 9 1 12 54 65 19 9th SF Davie Weir 21
1890–91 22 12 1 9 47 34 25 5th R1 John McNee
James Cassidy
9
1891–92 26 17 2 7 51 37 36 3rd R1 James Cassidy 18
1892–93 Div 1 30 13 6 11 57 55 32 5th R1 James Cassidy
Joe Dickenson
9
1893–94 30 10 4 16 38 52 24 13th R/U James Cassidy 15
1894–95 30 9 7 14 61 62 25 10th R3 Charlie Henderson 14
1895–96 30 16 5 9 49 37 37 4th SF Bill Joyce 12
1896–97 30 12 6 12 40 43 30 8th R2 Bob Jack 11
1897–98 30 11 4 15 28 41 26 11th R3 James Cassidy 8
1898–99 34 9 7 18 37 51 25 17th R1 Sandy Gilligan
Hugh Morgan
6
1899–1900 Div 2 34 22 8 4 79 25 52 2nd R1 Laurie Bell 23
1900–01 Div 1 34 13 7 14 39 55 33 10th R2 Laurie Bell 9
1901–02 34 12 8 14 51 56 32 12th R2 Tom Barlow 10
1902–03 34 8 3 23 37 73 19 18th R1 Sam Marsh 9
1903–04 Div 2 34 12 10 12 59 41 34 7th R/U Sam Marsh 21
1904–05 34 27 2 5 87 32 56 2nd R3 Sam Marsh 27
1905–06 Div 1 38 17 7 14 81 67 41 6th R1 Albert Shepherd 26
1906–07 38 18 8 12 59 47 44 6th R3 Albert Shepherd 19
1907–08 38 14 5 19 52 58 33 19th R3 Albert Shepherd 25
1908–09 Div 2 38 24 4 10 59 28 52 1st R1 Billy Hughes 16
1909–10 Div 1 38 9 6 23 44 71 24 20th R1 Billy Hughes 12
1910–11 Div 2 38 21 9 8 69 40 51 2nd R1 Billy Hughes 21
1911–12 Div 1 38 20 3 15 54 43 43 4th R3 Joe Smith 24
1912–13 38 16 10 12 62 63 42 8th R1 Joe Smith 22
1913–14 38 16 10 12 65 52 42 6th R3 George Lillycrop 25
1914–15 38 11 8 19 68 84 30 17th SF Joe Smith 36
No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the World War I
1919–20 Div 1 42 19 9 14 72 65 47 6th R1 Frank Roberts 26
1920–21 42 19 14 9 77 53 52 3rd R1 Joe Smith 38
1921–22 42 20 7 15 68 59 47 6th R2 David Jack 24
1922–23 42 14 12 16 50 58 40 13th W Joe Smith 19
1923–24 42 18 14 10 68 34 50 4th R2 David Jack 27
1924–25 42 22 11 9 76 34 55 3rd R2 David Jack 27
1925–26 42 17 10 15 78 76 44 8th W Joe Smith 21
1926–27 42 19 10 13 84 62 48 4th R5 David Jack
John Smith
17
1927–28 42 16 11 15 81 66 43 7th R4 David Jack 24
1928–29 42 14 12 16 73 80 40 14th W Harold Blackmore 37
1929–30 42 15 9 18 74 74 39 15th R3 Harold Blackmore 30
1930–31 42 15 9 18 68 81 39 14th R4 Harold Blackmore 30
1931–32 42 17 4 21 72 80 38 17th R3 Jack Milsom 19
1932–33 42 12 9 21 78 92 33 21st R5 Jack Milsom 27
1933–34 Div 2 42 21 9 12 79 55 51 3rd QF Jack Milsom 27
1934–35 42 26 4 12 96 48 56 2nd SF Jack Milsom 35
1935–36 Div 1 42 14 13 15 67 78 41 13th R3 Jack Milsom 20
1936–37 42 10 14 18 43 66 34 20th R5 Jack Milsom 14
1937–38 42 15 15 12 64 60 45 7th R3 Ray Westwood 23
1938–39 42 15 15 12 67 58 45 8th R3 George Hunt 23
1939–40[b] 3 2 0 1 6 5 4 5th N/A N/A
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to the World War II
1945–46 N/A SF Ray Westwood 8
1946–47 Div 1 42 13 8 21 57 69 34 18th R4 Nat Lofthouse 21
1947–48 42 16 5 21 46 58 37 17th R3 Nat Lofthouse 18
1948–49 42 14 10 18 59 68 38 14th R3 Willie Moir 25
1949–50 42 10 14 18 45 59 34 16th R4 Nat Lofthouse 13
1950–51 42 19 7 16 64 61 45 8th R4 Nat Lofthouse 22
1951–52 42 19 10 13 65 61 48 5th R3 Nat Lofthouse 18
1952–53 42 15 9 18 61 69 39 14th R/U Nat Lofthouse 30
1953–54 42 18 12 12 75 60 48 5th QF Willie Moir 25
1954–55 42 13 13 16 62 69 39 18th R4 Nat Lofthouse 15
1955–56 42 18 7 17 71 58 43 8th R4 Nat Lofthouse 33
1956–57 42 16 12 14 65 65 44 9th R3 Nat Lofthouse 28
1957–58 42 14 10 18 65 87 38 15th W Nat Lofthouse 20
1958–59 42 20 10 12 79 66 50 4th QF FA Charity Shield W Nat Lofthouse 35
1959–60 42 20 8 14 59 51 48 6th R4 Dennis Stevens
Ray Parry
15
1960–61 42 12 11 19 58 73 35 18th R4 R4 Billy McAdams 21
1961–62 42 16 10 16 62 66 42 11th R3 R1 Fred Hill 14
1962–63 42 15 5 17 55 75 35 18th R3 R2 Francis Lee 13
1963–64 42 10 8 24 48 80 28 21st R4 R3 Francis Lee 16
1964–65 Div 2 42 20 10 12 80 58 50 3rd R5 R2 Wyn Davies 25
1965–66 42 16 9 17 62 59 41 9th R4 R3 Francis Lee 18
1966–67 42 14 14 14 64 58 42 9th R4 R2 Francis Lee 24
1967–68 42 13 13 16 60 63 39 12th R3 R3 Gordon Taylor 12
1968–69 42 12 14 16 55 52 38 17th R4 R2 Roy Greaves 12
1969–70 42 12 12 18 54 61 36 16th R3 R2 John Byrom 25
1970–71 42 7 10 25 35 74 24 22nd R3 R3 Roger Hunt 8
1971–72 Div 3 46 17 16 13 51 41 50 7th R4 R4 John Byrom
Roy Greaves
13
1972–73 46 25 11 10 73 39 61 1st R5 R2 John Byrom 22
1973–74 Div 2 42 15 12 15 44 40 42 11th R4 R3 John Byrom 24
1974–75 42 15 12 15 45 41 42 10th R3 R2 Hugh Curran 11
1975–76 42 20 12 10 64 38 52 4th R5 R2 Garry Jones
Neil Whatmore
13
1976–77 42 20 11 11 75 54 51 4th R3 SF Anglo-Scottish Cup QF Neil Whatmore 31
1977–78 42 24 10 8 63 33 58 1st R3 R3 Anglo-Scottish Cup GRP Neil Whatmore 21
1978–79 Div 1 42 12 11 19 54 75 35 17th R3 R3 Anglo-Scottish Cup GRP Frank Worthington 26
1979–80 42 5 15 22 38 73 25 22nd R5 R2 Anglo-Scottish Cup QF Neil Whatmore 31
1980–81 Div 2 42 14 10 18 61 66 38 18th R3 R2 Neil Whatmore 21
1981–82 42 13 7 22 39 61 46 19th R4 R1 Chris Thompson 14
1982–83 42 11 11 20 42 61 44 22nd R3 R2 Tony Henry 11
1983–84 Div 3 46 18 10 18 56 60 64 10th R3 R1 Football League Trophy NR1 Tony Caldwell 23
1984–85 46 16 6 24 69 75 54 17th R1 R3 Football League Trophy NSF Tony Caldwell 22
1985–86 46 15 8 23 54 68 53 18th R1 R2 Football League Trophy R/U Tony Caldwell 16
1986–87 46 10 15 21 46 58 45 21st R3 R1 Football League Trophy NQF Tony Caldwell 17
1987–88 Div 4 46 22 12 12 66 42 78 3rd R3 R1 Football League Trophy NR1 John Thomas 28
1988–89 Div 3 46 16 16 14 58 54 64 10th R2 R1 Football League Trophy W Trevor Morgan
Steve Thompson
11
1989–90 46 18 15 13 59 48 69 6th R1 R3 Football League Trophy NSF Tony Philliskirk 25
1990–91 46 24 11 11 64 50 83 4th[c] R4 R2 Football League Trophy NGS Tony Philliskirk 28
1991–92 46 14 17 15 57 56 59 13th R5 R2 Football League Trophy NR1 Tony Philliskirk 19
1992–93 Div 2[d] 46 27 9 10 80 41 90 2nd R5 R2 Football League Trophy NQF Andy Walker 33
1993–94 Div 1 46 15 14 17 63 64 59 14th QF R2 Anglo-Italian Cup GRP John McGinlay 33
1994–95 46 21 14 11 67 45 77 3rd[e] R3 R/U John McGinlay 22
1995–96 Prem 38 8 5 25 39 71 29 20th R4 R4 John McGinlay 9
1996–97 Div 1 46 28 14 4 100 53 98 1st R4 QF John McGinlay 30
1997–98 Prem 38 9 13 16 41 61 40 18th R3 R4 Nathan Blake 14
1998–99 Div 1 46 20 16 10 78 59 76 6th[f] R3 R4 Bob Taylor 18
1999–2000 46 21 13 12 69 50 76 6th SF SF Eiður Guðjohnsen 22
2000–01 46 24 15 7 76 45 87 3rd[g] R5 R1 Michael Ricketts 24
2001–02 Prem 38 9 13 16 44 62 40 16th R4 QF Michael Ricketts 15
2002–03 38 10 14 14 41 51 44 17th R3 R2 Youri Djorkaeff
Jay-Jay Okocha
Henrik Pedersen
Michael Ricketts
7
2003–04 38 14 11 13 48 56 53 8th R3 R/U Kevin Nolan 12
2004–05 38 16 10 12 49 44 58 6th QF R3 Kevin Davies
El Hadji Diouf
9
2005–06 38 15 11 12 49 41 56 8th R5 QF UEFA Cup R32 Stelios Giannakopoulos 12
2006–07 38 16 8 14 47 52 56 7th R4 R3 Nicolas Anelka 12
2007–08 38 9 10 19 36 54 37 16th R3 R4 UEFA Cup R16 Nicolas Anelka 11
2008–09 38 11 8 19 41 53 41 13th R3 R2 Kevin Davies 12
2009–10 38 10 9 19 40 66 39 14th R5 R4 Kevin Davies 9
2010–11 38 12 10 16 52 56 46 14th SF R3 Johan Elmander 12
2011–12 38 10 6 22 46 77 36 18th QF R4 Ivan Klasnić 9
2012–13 Champ 46 18 14 14 69 61 68 7th R4 R2 Chris Eagles 12
2013–14 46 14 17 15 59 60 59 14th R4 R2 Jermaine Beckford 9
2014–15 46 13 12 21 54 67 51 18th R4 R3 Adam Le Fondre 8
2015–16 46 5 15 26 41 81 30 24th R4 R1 Zach Clough 7
2016–17 EFL One 46 25 11 10 68 36 86 2nd R3 R1 EFL Trophy GRP Josh Vela
Gary Madine
10
2017–18 Champ 46 10 13 23 39 74 43 21st R3 R3 Gary Madine 10
2018–19 46 8 8 30 29 78 32 23rd R4 R1 Josh Magennis 7
2019–20[h] EFL One 34 5 11 18 27 66 14[i] 23rd R1 R1 EFL Trophy R2 Daryl Murphy 8
2020–21 EFL Two 46 23 10 13 59 50 79 3rd R1 R1 EFL Trophy GRP Eoin Doyle 19
2021–22 EFL One 46 21 10 15 74 57 73 9th R1 R2 EFL Trophy R3 Oladapo Afolayan 14
2022–23 46 23 12 11 62 36 81 5th R1 R2 EFL Trophy W Dion Charles 21
2023–24 46 25 12 9 86 51 87 3rd[j] R3 R2 EFL Trophy NQF Dion Charles 20
2024–25 R3
  • Seasons spent at Level 1 of the football league system: 73
  • Seasons spent at Level 2 of the football league system: 34
  • Seasons spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 16
  • Seasons spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 2

Notes

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  1. ^ Goals in all competitions (The Football League or Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, European and other Football Association (FA) and Football League domestic cup competitions) are counted.
  2. ^ The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled
  3. ^ Lost the play-off final to Tranmere Rovers 1–0 at Wembley Stadium, London
  4. ^ The Four Divisions in The Football League changed names. The First Division was called the Premier League. Second Division was called Football League Division 1. Third Division was called Football League Division 2. Fourth Division was called Football League Division 3
  5. ^ Won the play-off final by beating Reading 4–3 at Wembley Stadium, London
  6. ^ Lost the play-off final to Watford 2–0 at Wembley Stadium, London
  7. ^ Won the play-off final by beating Preston North End 3–0 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
  8. ^ The 2019–20 season was postponed in March and abandoned in July with all results up to that point standing and final placings based on a Points-Per-Game formula
  9. ^ Bolton Wanderers deducted 12 points for entering administration. "EFL statement: Bolton Wanderers". BBC Sport. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  10. ^ Lost the play-off final to Oxford United 2–0 at Wembley Stadium, London

References

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