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.

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.

Key

Key to league record: P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

Key to divisions: Prem = Premier League FL = The Football League Div 1 = Football League First Division Div 2 = Football League Second Division Div 3 = Football League Third Division Div 4 = Football League Fourth Division n/a = Not applicable

Key to rounds: DNE = Did not enter PR = Preliminary round R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5

Grp = Group stage QF = Quarter-finals NQF = Northern Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals NF = Northern final RU = Runners-up W = Winners

ChampionsRunners-upPlay-offsPromotedRelegated

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 SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupEurope / OtherTop goalscorer(s)DivisionPldWDLGFGAPtsPosPlayerGoals1881–82R2William Struthers21882–83R3William Struthers71883–84R4R. Steel61884–85DNEUnknown1885–86R3L. Fallon21886–87R3Kenny DavenportHewitsonWilliam Struthers31887–88R2James Brogan Bob Roberts21888–89FL22102106359225thDNEJames Brogan131889–902291125465199thSFDavie Weir211890–912212194734255thR1John McNeeJames Cassidy91891–922617275137363rdR1James Cassidy181892–93Div 130136115755325thR1James Cassidy Joe Dickenson91893–94301041638522413thR/UJames Cassidy151894–9530971461622510thR3Charlie Henderson141895–963016594937374thSFBill Joyce121896–9730126124043308thR2Bob Jack111897–98301141528412611thR3James Cassidy81898–9934971837512517thR1Sandy GilliganHugh Morgan61899–1900Div 23422847925522ndR1Laurie Bell231900–01Div 1341371439553310thR2Laurie Bell91901–02341281451563212thR2Tom Barlow101902–0334832337731918thR1Sam Marsh91903–04Div 2341210125941347thR/USam Marsh211904–053427258732562ndR3Sam Marsh271905–06Div 138177148167416thR1Albert Shepherd261906–0738188125947446thR3Albert Shepherd191907–08381451952583319thR3Albert Shepherd251908–09Div 238244105928521stR1Billy Hughes161909–10Div 138962344712420thR1Billy Hughes121910–11Div 23821986940 51 2ndR1Billy Hughes211911–12Div 138203155443434thR3Joe Smith241912–13381610126263428thR1Joe Smith221913–14381610126552426thR3George Lillycrop251914–15381181968843017thSFJoe Smith36No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the World War I1919–20Div 142199147265476thR1Frank Roberts261920–2142191497753523rdR1Joe Smith381921–2242207156859476thR2David Jack241922–234214121650584013thWJoe Smith191923–24421814106834504thR2David Jack271924–2542221197634553rdR2David Jack271925–26421710157876448thWJoe Smith211926–27421910138462484thR5David JackJohn Smith171927–28421611158166437thR4David Jack241928–294214121673804014thWHarold Blackmore371929–30421591874743915thR3Harold Blackmore301930–31421591868813914thR4Harold Blackmore301931–32421742172803817thR3Jack Milsom191932–33421292178923321stR5Jack Milsom271933–34Div 242219127955513rdQFJack Milsom271934–3542264129648562ndSFJack Milsom351935–36Div 14214131567784113thR3Jack Milsom201936–374210141843663420thR5Jack Milsom141937–38421515126460457thR3Ray Westwood231938–39421515126758458thR3George Hunt231939–4032016545thN/AN/ANo competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to the World War II1945–46N/ASFRay Westwood81946–47Div 1421382157693418thR4Nat Lofthouse211947–48421652146583717thR3Nat Lofthouse181948–494214101859683814thR3Willie Moir251949–504210141845593416thR4Nat Lofthouse131950–5142197166461458thR4Nat Lofthouse221951–52421910136561485thR3Nat Lofthouse181952–53421591861693914thR/UNat Lofthouse301953–54421812127560485thQFWillie Moir251954–554213131662693918thR4Nat Lofthouse151955–5642187177158438thR4Nat Lofthouse331956–57421612146565449thR3Nat Lofthouse281957–584214101865873815thWNat Lofthouse201958–59422010127966504thQFFA Charity ShieldWNat Lofthouse351959–6042208145951486thR4Dennis StevensRay Parry151960–614212111958733518thR4R4Billy McAdams211961–624216101662664211thR3R1Fred Hill141962–63421551755753518thR3R2Francis Lee131963–64421082448802821stR4R3Francis Lee161964–65Div 2422010128058503rdR5R2Wyn Davies251965–6642169176259419thR4R3Francis Lee181966–67421414146458429thR4R2Francis Lee241967–684213131660633912thR3R3Gordon Taylor121968–694212141655523817thR4R2Roy Greaves121969–704212121854613616thR3R2John Byrom251970–71427102535742422ndR3R3Roger Hunt81971–72Div 3461716135141507thR4R4John ByromRoy Greaves131972–73462511107339611stR5R2John Byrom221973–74Div 24215121544404211thR4R3John Byrom241974–754215121545414210thR3R2Hugh Curran111975–76422012106438524thR5R2Garry JonesNeil Whatmore131976–77422011117554514thR3SFAnglo-Scottish CupQFNeil Whatmore311977–7842241086333581stR3R3Anglo-Scottish CupGRPNeil Whatmore211978–79Div 14212111954753517thR3R3Anglo-Scottish CupGRPFrank Worthington261979–80425152238732522ndR5R2Anglo-Scottish CupQFNeil Whatmore311980–81Div 24214101861663818thR3R2Neil Whatmore211981–82421372239614619thR4R1Chris Thompson141982–834211112042614422ndR3R2Tony Henry111983–84Div 34618101856606410thR3R1Football League TrophyNR1Tony Caldwell231984–85461662469755417thR1R3Football League TrophyNSFTony Caldwell221985–86461582354685318thR1R2Football League TrophyR/UTony Caldwell161986–874610152146584521stR3R1Football League TrophyNQFTony Caldwell171987–88Div 4462212126642783rdR3R1Football League TrophyNR1John Thomas281988–89Div 34616161458546410thR2R1Football League TrophyWTrevor MorganSteve Thompson111989–90461815135948696thR1R3Football League TrophyNSFTony Philliskirk251990–91462411116450834thR4R2Football League TrophyNGSTony Philliskirk281991–924614171557565913thR5R2Football League TrophyNR1Tony Philliskirk191992–93Div 246279108041902ndR5R2Football League TrophyNQFAndy Walker331993–94Div 14615141763645914thQFR2Anglo-Italian CupGRPJohn McGinlay331994–95462114116745773rdR3R/UJohn McGinlay221995–96Prem38852539712920thR4R4John McGinlay91996–97Div 1462814410053981stR4QFJohn McGinlay301997–98Prem389131641614018thR3R4Nathan Blake141998–99Div 1462016107859766thR3R4Bob Taylor181999–2000462113126950766thSFSFEiður Guðjohnsen222000–0146241577645873rdR5R1Michael Ricketts242001–02Prem389131644624016thR4QFMichael Ricketts152002–033810141441514417thR3R2Youri DjorkaeffJay-Jay OkochaHenrik PedersenMichael Ricketts72003–04381411134856538thR3R/UKevin Nolan122004–05381610124944586thQFR3Kevin DaviesEl Hadji Diouf92005–06381511124941568thR5QFUEFA CupR32Stelios Giannakopoulos122006–0738168144752567thR4R3Nicolas Anelka122007–08389101936543716thR3R4UEFA CupR16Nicolas Anelka112008–09381181941534113thR3R2Kevin Davies122009–10381091940663914thR5R4Kevin Davies92010–113812101652564614thSFR3Johan Elmander122011–12381062246773618thQFR4Ivan Klasnić92012–13Champ461814146961687thR4R2Chris Eagles122013–144614171559605914thR4R2Jermaine Beckford92014–154613122154675118thR4R3Adam Le Fondre82015–16465152641813024thR4R1Zach Clough72016–17EFL One462511106836862ndR3R1EFL TrophyGRPJosh VelaGary Madine102017–18Champ4610132339744321stR3R3Gary Madine102018–1946883029783223rdR4R1Josh Magennis72019–20EFL One345111827661423rdR1R1EFL TrophyR2Daryl Murphy82020–21EFL Two462310135950793rdR1R1EFL TrophyGRPEoin Doyle192021–22EFL One462110157457739thR1R2EFL TrophyR3Oladapo Afolayan142022–23462312116236815thR1R2EFL TrophyWDion Charles212023–2446251298651873rdR3R2EFL TrophyNQFDion Charles202024–2546208186770688thR1R3EFL TrophyNQFAaron Collins192025–2646191897052755thR2R1EFL TrophyR3Sam Dalby142026–27ChampR1

Seasons spent at Level 1 of the football league system: 73 Seasons spent at Level 2 of the football league system: 35 Seasons spent at Level 3 of the football league system: 18 Seasons spent at Level 4 of the football league system: 2

Notes

References