The 2017–18 season is Bolton Wanderers's first season back in the second tier of English football following their immediate return from EFL League One. The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Pre-season On 9 May 2017 the club announced that they would host Stoke City on 29 July, a week before their league campaign commences. Two days later, Reece Wabara, Liam Trotter, Lewis Buxton, Tom Walker and Will Jääskeläinen were all confirmed to be leaving the club at the end of their contracts on 30 June, with Conor Wilkinson being allowed to speak to other clubs. The next week five of the club's young players, including Alex Samizadeh and Jack Earing who had previously played for the first team, were offered third year scholarships. On 19 May, a second pre season friendly was announced against National League North side Stockport County on 25 July. Later the same day they confirmed that Lawrie Wilson, Dean Moxey and Mark Davies would also be leaving the club at the end of their contracts. On 24 May, the club confirmed that Jem Karacan had signed a one-year deal, with an option for a further year, keeping him at the club until at least June 2018. A day later Andrew Taylor, who had spent the previous season on loan at the club, joined on a permanent basis on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic on a two-year deal.
26 May saw the club announce more pre-season fixtures. They would travel to Chorley on 8 July and then Fleetwood Town on 22 July. Meanwhile, a Bolton XI would play West Didsbury & Chorlton, Atherton Collieries, F.C. United of Manchester and Marine. The game against West Didsbury & Chorlton was later postponed to a later date. Four days later a fifth match, this one at AFC Fylde, was added to the pre-season diary. Early the next morning the club confirmed that Gary Madine had signed a new two-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2019.
On the first day of June the club announced that David Wheater had signed a new one-year contract with the option of an extension. Five days later, Adam Le Fondre was also signed up, this time on a two-year contract with the option of an extension. Dorian Dervite was the next to sign a new contract, agreeing a new one-year deal, with the option of an extension, on 9 June. A two-year shirt sponsorship deal with the bookmaker Betfred was announced on 12 June. The EFL retained and released list from 13 June confirmed that further players, including George Newell, had been released. Mark Little became the first new player to join the club when it was announced that he was joining from Bristol City on 16 June. On 20 June, Filipe Morais signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until June 2018. A further friendly, this time at Scottish League One side Arbroath on 11 July, was confirmed on 21 June. Max Clayton became the first player to join a new club when it was confirmed on 22 June that he would be joining Blackpool at the expiration of his current contract. On 27 June, the same day that the squad returned to training, a second friendly in Scotland was announced, this time at Dundee on 14 July. 29 June saw forward Conor Wilkinson join Gillingham on a free transfer.
On 3 July, the same day that the club confirmed that Jake Turner, Conor Hall and Jeff King had signed new contracts, Jamie Proctor left the club for Rotherham United for an undisclosed fee. Former Bradford City player Stephen Darby joined his former manager on 7 July on a free transfer. A day later the club confirmed that former captain Jay Spearing had left the club after failing to agree a new contract.
Pre-season kicked off on 8 July with Bolton meeting Chorley for the Howard Taylor Memorial Trophy. With two separate teams starting both halves, the first half team fell behind to two quick goals but the second half team rallied, with two goals from Harry Brockbank and a Ryan White effort sealing the win. Three days later the club commenced their two-game Scottish tour with a 2–1 win at Arbroath, Adam Le Fondre and Connor Hall scoring either side of an Arbroath penalty. They followed this with the same result at Dundee, Gary Madine and Josh Vela giving them a two-goal cushion in the first half. This was on the same day that Sammy Ameobi signed for the club on a permanent basis following his loan the previous season after his release by Newcastle United and Alex Samizadeh leaving to join Kilmarnock. Bolton secured their first loan signing of the season on 17 July when Adam Armstrong joined from Newcastle United until January.
Competitions
EFL Championship
League table
Result summary
Results by matchday
Matches On 21 June 2017 the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced. Bolton started the season at home to Leeds United on 6 August and will finish at home to Nottingham Forest on 6 May 2018.
FA Cup
Bolton will enter the competition at the third round stage alongside all other EFL Championship and Premier League sides. They were drawn at home to Premier League side Huddersfield Town in the third round.
EFL Cup
Bolton entered the competition at the first round stage and were drawn to play away at Crewe Alexandra in the first round. Falling behind in the first half, both Adam Armstrong and Derik scored their first goals for the club in the second half to send Bolton through to the second round where they were drawn at home against Sheffield Wednesday. Bolton raced to a 3–0 lead over their visitors with goals from Jem Karacan, Dorian Dervite and an Adam Armstrong penalty. Despite Jordan Rhodes scoring late twice for the visitors, and both managers being sent to the stands late in the game, Bolton progressed to the third round for the first time in three years, where they were drawn away at Premier League West Ham United.
Squad No. Name Pos. Nationality Place of birth Age Apps Goals Signed from Date signed Fee End Goalkeepers13Ben AlnwickGKPrudhoe670Peterborough United31 August 2016Free201833Mark HowardGKSouthwark390Sheffield United13 July 2016Free2018 Defenders2Mark LittleRBWorcester311Bristol City1 July 2017Free20193Andrew TaylorLBHartlepool610Wigan Athletic1 July 2017Free20194Dorian DerviteCBLille992Charlton Athletic27 May 2014Free20185Mark BeeversCBBarnsley988Millwall3 July 2016Free201814Jon FlanaganRB/LBLiverpool90Liverpool31 January 2018Loan201815Antonee RobinsonLBMilton Keynes340Everton6 August 2017Loan201817Derik OsedeCB/CMMadrid722Real Madrid6 July 2015Free201823Stephen DarbyRBLiverpool50Bradford City7 July 2017Free201931David WheaterCBRedcar20216Middlesbrough20 January 2011Undisclosed201832Reece BurkeCBNewham261West Ham United1 August 2017Loan2018 Midfielders6Josh VelaCMSalford17013Academy20 March 2011Trainee20197Chris TaylorLWOldham230Blackburn Rovers2 July 2016Free20188Jem KaracanCMCatford232 Free agent 11 March 2017Free201810Sammy AmeobiRWNewcastle608Newcastle United14 July 2017Free201811Will BuckleyLWOldham252Sunderland1 July 2017Free201912Craig NooneRWKirkby271Cardiff City31 August 2017Undisclosed201920Harry CharsleyCMBirkenhead10Everton12 January 2018Loan201821Darren PratleyCMBarking20317Swansea City1 July 2011Free201822Filipe MoraisLW/RWBenavente563Bradford City2 February 2017Free201824Karl HenryCMWolverhampton331Queens Park Rangers25 September 2017Free201827Jan KirchhoffCM/CBFrankfurt40 Free agent 22 February 2018Free201834Jeff KingCMLiverpool30Droylsden3 July 2017Free201838Jack EaringCMBury20Academy9 August 2017Trainee2018 Forwards9Adam Le FondreCFStockport7421Cardiff City1 July 2017Free201918Aaron WilbrahamCFKnutsford282Bristol City3 August 2017Undisclosed201819Tyler WalkerCFNottingham50Nottingham Forest31 January 2018Loan201825Chinedu ObasiCFEnugu00 Free agent 3 March 2018Free201835Connor HallCFSlough10Sheffield United3 July 2017Free201840Zach CloughCFDenton6722Nottingham Forest31 January 2018Loan2018 Out on loan1Ben AmosGKMacclesfield450Manchester United1 July 2015Free2019
Statistics
|colspan=14|Player(s) who left the club:
Goals record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name Championship FA Cup League Cup Total1—CFGary Madine 10001029 CFAdam Le Fondre 7007310RWSammy Ameobi 40044—CFAdam Armstrong 1023511LWWill Buckley 200217CBDerik Osede 011218CFAaron Wilbraham 200221CMDarren Pratley 200292 RBMark Little 10014 CBDorian Dervite 00115 CBMark Beevers 10016 CMJosh Vela 10018 CMJem Karacan 001112RWCraig Noone 100122RWFilipe Morais 100124CMKarl Henry 100131CBDavid Wheater 100132CBReece Burke 100140CFZach Clough 1001Total 371543
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name Championship FA Cup League Cup Total 124CMKarl Henry 1300000000130025 CBMark Beevers 1000000000100021CMDarren Pratley 8000002001000410RWSammy Ameobi 80010000090031CBDavid Wheater 900000000900622RWFilipe Morais 6100000006107—CFGary Madine 70000000070088 CMJem Karacan 40000010050015LBAntonee Robinson 500000000500102 RBMark Little 3010000003016 CMJosh Vela 300100000400123 LBAndrew Taylor 20000010030014RBJon Flanagan 30000000030018CFAaron Wilbraham 30000000030032CBReece Burke 300000000300164 CBDorian Dervite 2000000002009 CFAdam Le Fondre 20000000020011LWWill Buckley 20000000020013GKBen Alnwick 20000000020017CBDerik 2000000002002112RWCraig Noone 10000000010016CMJosh Cullen 100000000100Total 981120050010511
Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref.1 July 2017 LW Will Buckley Sunderland Free 1 July 2017 CF Adam Le Fondre Cardiff City Free 1 July 2017 RB Mark Little Bristol City Free 1 July 2017 LB Andrew Taylor Wigan Athletic Free 7 July 2017 RB Stephen Darby Bradford City Free 14 July 2017 RW Sammy Ameobi Newcastle United Free 3 August 2017 CF Aaron Wilbraham Bristol City Free 31 August 2017 RW Craig Noone Cardiff City Free 25 September 2017 DM Karl Henry Queens Park Rangers Free 22 February 2018 DM Jan Kirchhoff Unattached Free 3 March 2018 CF Chinedu Obasi Unattached Free
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 29 June 2017 FW Conor Wilkinson Gillingham Free 1 July 2017 RB Lewis Buxton Free agent Released 1 July 2017 FW Max Clayton Blackpool Free 1 July 2017 CM Mark Davies Free agent Released 1 July 2017 GK Will Jääskeläinen Leek Town Released 1 July 2017 LB Dean Moxey Exeter City Released 1 July 2017 FW George Newell Motherwell Released 1 July 2017 CM Liam Trotter AFC Wimbledon Released 1 July 2017 RB Reece Wabara Free agent Released 1 July 2017 LM Tom Walker Stockport County Released 1 July 2017 RB Lawrie Wilson Port Vale Released 3 July 2017 CF Jamie Proctor Rotherham United £75,000 8 July 2017 CM Jay Spearing Blackpool Released 14 July 2017 FW Alex Samizadeh Kilmarnock Free 1 August 2017 CB Sam Lavelle Morecambe Free 31 January 2018 FW Gary Madine Cardiff City Undisclosed (£6-8 million)
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Until Ref. 17 July 2017 CF Adam Armstrong Newcastle United 1 January 2018 1 August 2017 CM Josh Cullen West Ham United 1 January 2018 1 August 2017 CB Reece Burke West Ham United 30 June 2018 4 August 2017 LB Antonee Robinson Everton 30 June 2018 12 January 2018 CM Harry Charsley Everton 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 CF Tyler Walker Nottingham Forest 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 RB Jon Flanagan Liverpool 30 June 2018 31 January 2018 CF Zach Clough Nottingham Forest 30 June 2018
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Until Ref. 29 July 2017 GK Ben Amos Charlton Athletic 30 June 2018
References