The 1997–98 season was the 119th season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and their first season back in the FA Premier League after winning the Football League First Division the previous season. It covers the period from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. After 102 years playing at Burnden Park, the club had moved to the new Reebok Stadium.

Season summary In their new 27,000-seat stadium, Bolton Wanderers began the season as the strongest-looking of the newly promoted side, particularly after paying a club record fee of £3.5 million for Wimbledon striker Dean Holdsworth and holding Manchester United to a 0–0 draw. But it was a season-long struggle for Colin Todd and his men, who lost their battle on the final day of the season and occupied the final relegation place – on goal difference – to complete a hat-trick of newly promoted clubs suffering relegation. Controversially Bolton had a goal against Everton disallowed in the belief that the ball had not crossed the line after crashing down off the Everton crossbar. Television replays showed the ball had indeed crossed the line. The game finished goal-less and the two sides finished level on points with Everton surviving on their superior goal difference. Bolton fans complained bitterly that the goal and resulting 1–0 win would have kept them in the FA Premier League at Everton's expense. Everton fans countered by pointing to Bolton's inability to hold onto a lead during the season while Everton had a good record of coming from behind to draw or even win against their fellow strugglers. With an hour to play it is impossible to say with any degree of confidence that Bolton would indeed have been able to hold on to their goal lead.

Final league table

Results summary

Results by round

Results FA Premier League DateOpponentsH / AResult F – AScorersAttendance9 August 1997SouthamptonA1 – 0Blake 43'15,20623 August 1997Coventry CityA2 – 2Blake (2) 69', 76'16,63327 August 1997BarnsleyA1 – 2Beardsley 31'18,6611 September 1997EvertonH0 – 023,13113 September 1997ArsenalA1 – 4Thompson 13'38,13820 September 1997Manchester UnitedH0 – 025,00023 September 1997Tottenham HotspurH1 – 1Thompson 20' (pen)23,43327 September 1997Crystal PalaceA2 – 2Beardsley 36', Johansen 66'17,1344 October 1997Aston VillaH0 – 124,18618 October 1997West Ham UnitedA0 – 324,86426 October 1997ChelseaH1 – 0Holdsworth 72'24,0801 November 1997LiverpoolH1 – 1Blake 84'25,0008 November 1997Sheffield WednesdayA0 – 525,02722 November 1997Leicester CityA0 – 020,46429 November 1997WimbledonH1 – 0Blake 89'22,7031 December 1997Newcastle UnitedH1 – 0Blake 22'24,4946 December 1997Blackburn RoversA1 – 3Frandsen 84'25,50314 December 1997Derby CountyH3 – 3Thompson 50' (pen), Blake 73', Pollock 77'23, 03720 December 1997Leeds UnitedA0 – 231,16326 December 1997BarnsleyH1 – 1Bergsson 38'25,00028 December 1997EvertonA2 – 3Bergsson 42', Sellars 43'37,14910 January 1998SouthamptonH0 – 023,33317 January 1998Newcastle UnitedA1 – 2Blake 72'36,76731 January 1998Coventry CityH1 – 5Sellars 21'25,0007 February 1998Manchester UnitedA1 – 1B.Taylor 60'55,15621 February 1998West Ham UnitedH1 – 1Blake 86'25,0001 March 1998Tottenham HotspurA0 – 129,0328 March 1998LiverpoolA1 – 2Thompson 7'44,53214 March 1998Sheffield WednesdayH3 – 2Frandsen 31', Blake 53', Thompson 69' (pen)24,84728 March 1998Leicester CityH2 – 0Thompson (2) 52', 89'25,00031 March 1998ArsenalH0 – 125,0004 April 1998WimbledonA0 – 011,35611 April 1998Blackburn RoversH2 – 1Holdsworth 20', B. Taylor 67'25,00013 April 1998Derby CountyA0 – 429,12618 April 1998Leeds UnitedH2 – 3Thompson 56', Fish 89'25,00025 April 1998Aston VillaA3 – 1Cox 18', B.Taylor 41', Blake 84'38,3922 May 1998Crystal PalaceH5 – 2Blake 7', Fish 20', Phillips 30', Thompson 70', Holdsworth 79'24,44910 May 1998ChelseaA0 – 234,845

FA Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult F – AScorersAttendance3 January 1998Round 3BarnsleyA0 – 115,042

Coca-Cola Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResult F – AScorersAttendance16 September 1997Round 2 First LegLeyton OrientA3 – 1Todd 13', Frandsen 20', McGinlay 79'4,12830 September 1997Round 2 Second LegLeyton OrientH4 – 4 (aet)7 – 5 (agg)Blake (2) 8' 35', McGinlay 65' (pen), Gunnlaugsson 66'6,44414 October 1997Round 3WimbledonH2 – 0 (aet)Pollock 91', McAllister 94' (og)9,87518 November 1997Round 4MiddlesbroughA1 – 2 (aet)Thompson 33'22,801

Transfers

Transfers in

PlayerFromDateFee Robbie Elliott Newcastle United 1 July 1997 £2,500,000 Arnar Gunnlaugsson IA Akranes 10 July 1997 £100,000 Peter Beardsley Newcastle United 18 August 1997 £450,000 Mark Fish Lazio 19 September 1997 £2,000,000 Mike Whitlow Leicester City 19 September 1997 £500,000 Dean Holdsworth Wimbledon 2 October 1997 £3,500,000 Jussi Jääskeläinen VPS Vaasa 11 November 1997 £100,000

Transfers out PlayerToDateFee Scott Green Wigan Athletic 1 July 1997 £300,000 David Lee Wigan Athletic 14 July 1997 £250,000 Mixu Paatelainen Wolverhampton Wanderers 8 August 1997 £200,000 John McGinlay Bradford City 6 November 1997 £625,000 Steve McAnespie Fulham 27 November 1997 £100,000 Simon Coleman Southend 20 February 1998 Free Jamie Pollock Manchester City 20 March 1998 £1,000,000 Alan Thompson Aston Villa 5 June 1998 £4,500,000

Loans in PlayerFromDate FromDate To Franz Carr Reggiana 24 October 1997 28 January 1998 Bob Taylor West Bromwich Albion 9 January 1998 9 February 1998 Gaetano Giallanza Nantes 26 March 1998 31 May 1998 John Salako Coventry City 26 March 1998 31 May 1998 Bob Taylor West Bromwich Albion 26 March 1998 31 May 1998

Loans out PlayerToDate FromDate To Simon Coleman Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 September 1997 2 October 1997 Bryan Small Luton Town 8 September 1997 12 December 1997 Greg Strong Blackpool 21 November 1997 10 February 1998 Scott Taylor Rotherham United 12 December 1997 7 February 1998 Bryan Small Bradford City 19 December 1997 17 January 1998 Bryan Small Bury 30 January 1998 31 May 1998 Peter Beardsley Manchester City 17 February 1998 11 March 1998 Peter Beardsley Fulham 26 March 1998 31 May 1998 Scott Taylor Blackpool 26 March 1998 26 April 1998

Appearances Bolton used a total of 29 players during the season.

PPlayerPositionPLFACLCTotal1 Per FrandsenMidfielder38 (0)1 (0)4 (0)43 (0)2 Nathan BlakeStriker35 (0)1 (0)3 (0)39 (0)3 Guðni Bergsson (captain) Defender34 (1)1 (0)3 (0)38 (1)4 Alan ThompsonMidfielder33 (0)1 (0)4 (0)38 (0)5 Keith BranaganGoalkeeper34 (0)0 (0)3 (0)37 (0)6 Jamie PollockMidfielder25 (1)1 (0)4 (0)30 (1)7 Andy ToddDefender23 (2)1 (0)4 (0)28 (2)8 Scott SellarsMidfielder22 (0)1 (0)3 (0)26 (0)9 Mark FishDefender22 (0)1 (0)1 (0)24 (0)10 Jimmy PhillipsDefender21 (1)0 (0)1 (1)22 (2)11 Neil CoxDefender20 (1)0 (1)0 (0)20(2)12 Peter BeardsleyStriker14 (3)0 (1)3 (0)17 (4)13 Dean HoldsworthStriker17 (3)0 (0)0 (0)17 (3)14 Mike WhitlowDefender13 (0)1 (0)3 (0)16 (0)15 Gerry TaggartDefender14 (1)0 (0)1 (0)15 (1)16 John SheridanMidfielder12 (0)0 (0)0 (0)12 (0)17 Bob TaylorStriker10 (2)0 (0)0 (0)10 (2)18 Chris FaircloughStriker10 (1)0 (0)0 (0)10 (1)19 John McGinlayStriker4 (3)0 (0)2 (1)6 (4)20 Gavin WardGoalkeeper4 (2)1 (0)1 (0)6 (2)21 Michael JohansenMidfielder4 (12)0 (0)1 (2)5 (14)22 Robbie ElliottDefender4 (0)0 (0)0 (0)4 (0)23 Arnar GunnlaugssonStriker2 (13)1 (0)0 (3)3 (16)24 Steve McAnespieDefender1 (1)0 (0)2 (0)3 (1)25 Hasney AljofreeDefender2 (0)0 (0)0 (0)2 (0)26 Greg StrongDefender0 (0)0 (0)1 (1)1 (1)27 John SalakoMidfielder0 (7)0 (0)0 (0)0 (7)28 Franz CarrMidfielder0 (5)0 (0)0 (0)0 (5)29 Gaetano GiallanzaStriker0 (3)0 (0)0 (0)0 (3)

Top scorers

PPlayerPositionPLFACLCTotal1 Nathan BlakeStriker1202142 Alan ThompsonMidfielder901103= Per FrandsenMidfielder20133= Dean HoldsworthStriker30033= Bob TaylorStriker3003

References