List of Bolton Wanderers F.C. players

Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football club based in Horwich, Greater Manchester. The club was formed in Bolton in 1874 as Christ Church F.C. and was renamed Bolton Wanderers F.C. in 1877. They played their first competitive match in October 1881, when they entered the First Round of the 1881–82 FA Cup. The club moved to Burnden Park in 1895 and the Reebok Stadium in 1997. Since playing their first competitive match, 173 players have made at least 100 appearances (including substitute appearances); those players are listed here.

Bolton Wanderers's record appearance-maker is Eddie Hopkinson, who made more than 570 appearances between 1952 and 1970. The club's leading scorer is Nat Lofthouse with 285 goals in his 14 years with the club. Along with Hopkinson and Lofthouse, seven other players have made more than 500 appearances. Other than Lofthouse, only Joe Smith has scored more than 200 goals for the club.

List of players

Table headers Apps — Number of games played as a starter Sub — Number of games played as a substitute Total — Total number of games played, both as a starter and as a substitute

+Positions keyGKGoalkeeperRBRight backRMRight midfielderRWRight wingerCBCentral backLBLeft backLMLeft midfielderLWLeft wingerDFDefenderFBFullbackMFMidfielderWWingerFWForwardHBHalf backCMCentral midfielderUUtility

Statistics correct as of match played 20 September 2026

NameNationalityPositionBolton WandererscareerAppsSubTotalGoals1888–1898255025581890–1901293029321895–19011360136141889–189821902191011895–19011250125291895–18981902–19041280128221902–19082170217931902–19122010201811905–1921388038841905–19101640164151908–192749204922771910–19315120512701912–1921146014661912–1930287028721914–19221170117141919–1932375037551920–192832403241611920–19334490449741921–1931336033601921–1932326032661922–19281740174871922–19331590159221922–1937530053021927–1933255025581Gibson George Image 3 Bolton Wanderers 1929, Vintage Footballers1928–19352620262401930–1939334033423LH1930–1939220324431930–19473330333144John Atkinson1931–1948263026351935–19491690169191935–1955423042301936–19522860286351936–19501710171191937–1947144014401940–1954118011801942–1952154015411943–195535803581341944–19563570357271946–196050305032851947–1965518051891947–1961255025521949–1961183018391949–19531320132181950–1958212021221950–19624630463441950–196231003101011951–19562050205181951–19664981499131952–1970578057801952–19551090109341952–1961202020201953–19602990299791955–19641910191281955–1965161016141957–19694102412791958–1971403140411958–19755217528171959–196721002101061961–1969259025981961–1969121512631962–19661700170741962–19702815286461962–1972213221591963–19681831184261965–19805678575851965–197516015175191966–1976340113511301966–19783753378131967–19711161117121967–19711082110301968–197523611247551969–19771531717091970–19835024506431970–197517611772Peter Nicholson1971–198235218370141972–1976158015801973–1979189419301973–19801985–19862265231241973–1978126613221973–19811982–19831983–19841987–1988322163381211974–19822574261251974–1981192920151976–19801981–1983274027411976–19801772179121977–19811990–1994208821621978–19821632165311979–19839311104151980–1985125212721981–1986139114001982–19914166422571982–1985120112121983–19872165221211983–19871993–20013902141181983–19871669177781984–199224613259111985–19871010101101986–199333312345521986–1994279628561987–1993300030001987–19931273816515 1988–1994330233217 1988–199215731606 1989–1992180218275 1989–19931423117342 1990–19962322425615 1990–19972216528631 1990–199519051959 1992–1995139614515 1992–199723015245118 1992–200026302630 1992–19971643519920 1993–19981801819842 1995–20033061131726 1995–1998118612448 1995–1999119712616 1995–200084231072 1996–19992000–20042772730436 1996–20001403017021 1997–201252915300 1998–20123416941025 1997–200012521274 1997–200185181037 1997–20031186817649 1997–2003149141632 1998–200389171060 1998–2000108110910 1999–20092915434550 1999–2002784111917 2000–2003684411246 2000–2010143181611 2000–2004120141340 2000–200592241160 2001–200616481727 2001–20071096217129 2002–20061232214518 2002–20081662819414 2003–20133733440785 2003–20081185917728 2003–20081142213624 2004–2008130913914 2004–200710371101 2008–20111142313723 2008–2012147014715 2008–2012136111474 2008–201213361396 2008–20118919108222009–20141801119142008–201715355208162009–20151494619520 2009–2013107711412011–20148917106192010–2015119112002011–201817429203172012–2015121512602012–201715617173102013–20169125116112011–201921818236162012–201916121182132015–20189314107252016–20191311132122013–20152020–202292111035 2020–20252052207 6 2021–20238120101 212020–202517216188 82021–20238812100 12022–202512524149 572020–202514029169 132022–202611554169 172022–20269763160 172021–16139200 172021–202617912191 4DF2022–1447151 13DF2023–202611213125 4

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