Bolton Wanderers F.C. is an English professional association football club based in Horwich, Bolton. The club was founded as Christ Church F.C. in 1874, making them one of the oldest football clubs in England, and turned professional in 1877, before joining the Football League as founder members in 1888. Bolton Wanderers currently play in League 1, the third tier of English football. They were relegated from the top tier (where they'd been since 2001) in 2012 but in their time as a professional club have played in all four professional English leagues.
This list encompasses the major honours won by Bolton Wanderers and records set by the club, their managers and their players. The player records section includes details of the club's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first-team competitions. It also records notable achievements by Bolton Wanderers players on the international stage, and the highest transfer fees paid and received by the club. The club's attendance records, both at The Reebok Stadium, their home since 1997, and Burnden Park, their home between 1895 and 1997, are also included in the list.
The club have won the FA Cup 4 times, but not since 1958, and have spent the majority of their history in the top flight of English football. Bolton also hold the record for the most years in the top flight of English football without winning the title, 72 years in total. The club's record appearance maker is Eddie Hopkinson, who made 578 appearances between his debut in 1952 and retirement in 1970, and the club's record goalscorer is Nat Lofthouse, who scored 285 goals in 503 games between 1946 and 1960.
All stats accurate as of match played 10 December 2011.
Level II
Football League First Division
Winners (1): 1996–97
Promotion Playoff Winners (2): 1995, 2001.
Football League Second Division:Winners (2): 1908–09, 1977–78
Runners Up (4): 1899–1900, 1904–05, 1910–11, 1934–35.
Level III
Football League Third Division:Winners (1): 1972–73
Runners Up (1): 1992–93.
Level IV
Football League Fourth Division:3rd Place Promotion (1): 1987–88.
FA Cup:
Winners (4): 1923, 1926, 1929, 1958
Runners Up (3): 1894, 1904, 1953
League Cup:
Runners Up (2): 1995, 2004
Football League Trophy:
Winners (1): 1989
Runners Up (1): 1986
FA Charity Shield
Winners (1): 1958
Lancashire Cup
Winners (12): 1886, 1891, 1912, 1922, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1934, 1939 (joint winners with Preston North End), 1948, 1988, 1990
Central League
Winners (2): 1955, 1995
All current players are in bold
Youngest first-team player: Ray Parry 15 years 267 days (v. Wolves, 13 October 1951).
Oldest first-team player: Peter Shilton 45 years 239 days (v. Wolves, 15 May 1995).
Most consecutive League appearances: 161 – Jim McDonagh, 2 October 1976 – 3 May 1980
Competitive matches only.
Most league goals in a season: Joe Smith, 38 goals in 1920–21 season.
Most goals scored in a match: 5
Billy Struthers v Bootle, 4 November 1882
James Cassidy v Sheffield United 1 February 1890
Tony Caldwell v Walsall 10 September 1983
Competitive matches only.
Most capped player: Ricardo Gardner, 72 caps for Jamaica as a Bolton Wanderers player. 37 of his (then) 109 caps coming in 1997 and 1998 prior to signing with Bolton. He made three more after leaving in 2012.
First player to play in a World Cup: Nat Lofthouse for England against Belgium on 17 June 1954.
First player to score in a World Cup: Nat Lofthouse against Belgium on 17 June 1954.
Most World Cup goals: Nat Lofthouse, 3 (1958).
This section lists all players who have played in a World Cup Finals game whilst playing for Bolton Wanderers F.C.
This section lists all players who have played in a European Championship Finals game whilst playing for Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers's record signing is Johan Elmander, who signed for the club from Toulouse for £8.2 million in June 2008. This beat the previous record of £8.0 million, which the club paid Fenerbahce for Nicolas Anelka in 2006
The club's first £1,000 transfer came in 1911, when they signed Alf Bentley from Derby County. They made their first £100,000 signing in 1978 with the transfer of Alan Gowling from Newcastle United for £120,000 and their first £1,000,000 transfer when they signed Gerry Taggart from Barnsley in 1995.
The largest fee that Bolton Wanderers have received for one of their players was the £15million that Chelsea paid for the services of Nicolas Anelka during the transfer window of January 2008. Four years later, Bolton received their second largest transfer fee, also from Chelsea, for defender Gary Cahill.
League Highs and Lows
Most points in a season: 98 in 46 matches, First Division, 1996–97.
Most home wins in a season: 18, 1924–25, 1972–73, 1992–93, 1996–97.
Most home draws in a season: 11, 1979–80.
Most home losses in a season: 11, 2011–12.
Most home goals scored in a season: 63, 1934–35.
Most home goals conceded in a season: 39, 2011–12.
Most away wins in a season: 14, 2000–01 (15 including playoff final).
Most away draws in a season: 10, 1986–87, 1996–97, 1996–97.
Most away losses in a season: 19, 2015–16.
Most away goals scored in a season: 40, 1996–97 (41 2000–01 including playoffs).
Most away goals conceded in a season: 59, 1932–33.
Most wins in a season: 28, 1996–97.
Most draws in a season: 17, 1991–92.
Most losses in a season: 26, 2015–16.
Most goals scored in a season: 100 in 46 matches, First Division, 1996–97, including 2 own goals.
Most goals conceded in a season: 92, 1932–33.
Least home wins in a season: 4, 2011–12.
Least home draws in a season: 0, 1988–89, 1890–91, 1904–05.
Least home losses in a season: 0, 1910–11, 1920–21.
Lease home goals scored in a season: 18, 1893–94, 1897–98, 1902–03.
Least home goals conceded in a season: 7, 1899-90.
Least away wins in a season: 0, 1949–50, 1979–80, 2015-16.
Least away draws in a season: 0, 1889–90, 1891–92.
Least away losses in a season: 3, 1899-90, 1904–05, 1996–97.
Least away goals scored in a season: 10, 1897–98.
Least away goals conceded in a season: 16, 1904–05.
Least wins in a season: 5, 1979–80.
Least draws in a season: 1, 1889–90, 1890–91.
Least losses in a season: 4, 1899-90, 1996–97.
Least goals scored in a season: 28, 1897–98.
Least goals conceded in a season: 25, 1899-90.
Record League home win: 8–0 (v. Barnsley, 6 October 1934).
Record League away win: 7–1 (v. Aston Villa, 26 December 1914).
Record FA Cup home win: 13–0 (v. Sheffield United second round, 1 February 1890).
Record FA Cup away win: 5–1 (v. Charlton Athletic third round, 14 January 1933).
Record League Cup home win: 6–1 (v. Tottenham Hotspur fourth round, 27 November 1996).
Record League Cup away win: 4–0 (v. Rochdale second round, 10 October 1973).
Record Premier League home win: 5–0 (v. Stoke City, 6 November 2011.
Record Premier League away win: 5–0 (v. Leicester City, 18 August 2001).
Record League home defeat:
0–5 (v. Everton, Division One, 20 September 1890).
0–5 (v. Arsenal, Division One, 1 January 1937).
0–5 (v. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Division One, 28 August 1948).
0–5 (v. Portsmouth, Division One, 20 September 1952).
0–5 (v. Blackburn Rovers, Division One, 29 February 1964).
0-5 (v. Manchester United, Premier League, 10 September 2011.)
Record League away defeat:
0–7 (v. Burnley, Division One, 1 March 1890).
0–7 (v. Sheffield Wednesday, Division One, 1 March 1915).
0–7 (v. Manchester City, Division One, 21 March 1936).
Record FA Cup home defeat:
0–5 (v. Bristol City, Round One, 7 February 1903).
0–5 (v. Manchester City, Round Five, 20 February 1937).
Record FA Cup away defeat: 1–9 (v. Preston North End, Round Two, 10 December 1887).
Record League Cup home defeat: 0–6 (v. Chelsea, Round Four replay, 8 November 1971).
Record League Cup away defeat: 0–6 (v. Tottenham Hotspur, Round Five, 11 December 2001).
Record Premier League home defeat: 0–6 (v. Manchester United, 25 February 1996).
Record Premier League away defeat: 2–6 (v. Manchester City, 18 October 2003).
Highest scoring League draw:
4–4 (v. Blackburn Rovers, Division One, 8 December 1888).
4–4 (v. Stoke City, Division One, 15 October 1892).
4–4 (v. Middlesbrough, Division One, 9 December 1905).
4–4 (v. West Ham United, Division One, 26 March 1927).
4–4 (v. Portsmouth, Division One, 23 February 1929).
4–4 (v. West Bromwich Albion, Division One, 18 March 1980).
4-4 (v. Bradford City, Division Three, 17 September 1991).
Highest scoring FA Cup draw: 5–5 (v. Eagley, Round One, 22 October 1881).
Highest scoring League Cup draw: 4–4 after extra time (v. Oldham Athletic, Round One, Second Leg, 4 September 1984).
Highest scoring Premier League draw:
3–3 (v. Derby County, 14 December 1997).
3–3 (v. Manchester City, 12 December 2009).
Wins: 11. (v. Gainsborough Trinity, 10 November 1904) - (v. Barnsley, 20 January 1905).
Home wins: 13. (v. Gainsborough Trinity, 12 November 1910) - (v. Chelsea, 26 April 1911).
Away wins: 5. (v. Doncaster Rovers, 14 December 1904) - (v. Burnley, 22 January 1905).
Draws: 6. (v. Manchester City, 25 January 1913) - (v. Derby County, 8 March 1913).
Losses: 11. (v. Sheffield United, 7 April 1902) - (v. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 18 October 1902).
Home Losses: 7. (v. Sunderland, 7 May 2011) - (v. Sunderland, 22 October 2011).
Away Losses: 15. (v. Brentford, 14 April 1984) - (v. Bradford City, 29 December 1984).
Games without scoring: 5.
(v. Bury, 3 January 1898) - (v. Sunderland, 22 February 1898)
(v. Wigan Athletic, 16 March 1990) - (v. Chester City, 31 March 1990).
Games with scoring: 24.
(v. Derby County, 8 September 1888) - (v. Everton, 21 September 1889)
(v. Sheffield United, 22 November 1996) - (v. Oxford United, 12 April 1997).
Games without losing: 23. (v. Bury, 13 October 1990) - (v. Fulham, 9 March 1991).
Home games without losing: 27. (v. Sheffield United, 24 April 1920) - (v. Huddersfield Town, 24 September 1921).
Away games without losing: 11. (v. Doncaster Rovers, 10 December 1904) - (v. West Bromwich Albion, 22 April 1905).
Games without a draw: 34. (v. Newcastle United, 26 February 2011) – (v. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 31 December 2011) including 2 FA Cup games and 3 League Cup games.
Games without a win: 26. (v. Sheffield United, 7 April 1902) - (v. West Bromwich Albion, 10 January 1903).
Home games without a win: 11. (v. Everton, 19 April 1902) - (v. West Bromwich Albion, 10 January 1903).
Away games without a win: 28. (v. Everton, 16 April 1979) - (v. Oldham Athletic, 27 September 1980).
Games without conceding: 7. (v. Woolwich Arsenal, 24 February 1900) - (v. Chesterfield, 14 April 1900).
Games with conceding: 27. (v. Sheffield United, 7 April 1902) - (v. Notts County, 17 January 1903).
Highest attendance at a home match (Burnden Park): 69,912 (v. Manchester City, FA Cup Fifth Round, 18 February 1933).
Highest attendance at a home match (Reebok Stadium): 28,353 (v. Leicester City, Premier League, 28 December 2003).
Lowest attendance at a home match (Burnden Park): 1,507 (v. Rochdale, Autoglass Trophy, 10 December 1991).
Lowest attendance at a home match (Reebok Stadium): 3,673 (v. Gillingham, Football League Cup Second Round Second Leg, 21 September 1999).
Highest attendance at a FA Cup match (Wembley Stadium (1923)): 126,047 (official) (v. West Ham, FA Cup Final, 28 April 1923). Some estimates of attendance exceed 300,000.
Highest attendance at a League Cup match (Wembley Stadium (1923)): 75,595 (v. Liverpool, League Cup Final, 2 April 1995).
Bolton Wanderers in Europe
Below is Bolton Wanderers' record in Europe. As of 2008 they have appeared in the UEFA Cup twice, losing only two games in the process.
