The 2020–21 season is Bolton Wanderers's first season in the fourth tier of English football since 1988, and only their second overall, following their relegation from EFL League One to EFL League Two. It covers the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.
Squad First team
Out on loan
Youth players with first team appearances
Youth players with first team squad numbers
Background Bolton had begun the 2019–20 EFL League One season with a twelve-point reduction and never recovered. When the season was suspended and then abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic they had never risen above bottom place and were subsequently relegated to EFL League Two on 9 June with a points per game ratio of 0.41. Three days later, the club announced that both manager Keith Hill and his assistant David Flitcroft would not have their contracts, which ran until 30 June, extended. On 15 June, Ronan Darcy signed his first professional contract with the club, keeping him at the club until 2022. On 26 June Bolton announced that they would be releasing 14 senior players at the end of their contracts on 1 July, though also stated that when a new manager was hired they would be allowed to offer the players new contracts if they desired. On 24 June 2020 Bolton Wanderers made an official approach to Barrow for Evatt to become their manager, and Barrow demanded £250,000 compensation should he make the move. Two days later Barrow rejected Bolton's bid for his services, stating it was below the £250,000 they had asked for. On 29 June, Bolton and Barrow agreed on compensation and Bolton began discussing personal terms with Evatt. Evatt's appointment at Bolton was confirmed on 1 July 2020. On 3 July Ali Crawford returned to the club, signing a new two-year contract. The club confirmed on 9 July that Home Bargains would continue to be primary shirt sponsor for the forthcoming season. Bolton's first signing was the leading goalscorer of the 2019–20 EFL League Two season, Eoin Doyle. This was followed by the signings of Antoni Sarcevic on 15 July, George Taft on 20 July and Brandon Comley on 21 July. The same day that the club signed Comley, they announced that long serving academy director, former player and sometime caretaker manager Jimmy Phillips would be leaving his role, ending a thirty-year association with the club. On 28 July, the club announced their first loan signing of the summer with Tom White joining from Blackburn Rovers for the season. July ended with the club confirming the return of Macron as their kit supplier.
Bolton started August with the signing of Liam Gordon on a two-year deal. Further signings that month were permanent deals for Ricardo Santos, Reiss Greenidge, Gethin Jones, Nathan Delfouneso, Matt Gilks, Jak Hickman, Jamie Mascoll and Alex Baptiste, who had previously played for the club between 2013 and 2015. A season long loan deal for Billy Crellin was also completed.
Pre-season friendlies On 24 July Bolton announced a Pre-season friendly against F.C. United of Manchester on 12 August. However, the game never took place. They played unannounced pre-season friendlies against Atherton Collieries on 1 August, winning 3–0, Bamber Bridge on 8 August, winning 7–0, and Loughborough University on 11 August, winning 6–0. In the match against Loughborough University Dennis Politic was injured and it was confirmed on 20 August that he was likely to miss the whole of the forthcoming season. On 14 August Bolton announced they would play their final pre-season friendly against Championship side Blackburn Rovers on 29 August, but this was soon cancelled after Blackburn's EFL Cup match was brought forward.Bolton Wanderers @OfficialBWFC "Our pre-season friendly against @Rovers has been cancelled due to a clash with their scheduled @Carabao_Cup tie against @drfc_official. #BWFC" Twitter, 21 August 2020. 7:22PM. As a replacement, Crewe Alexandra announced they would be playing against Bolton on 28 August. Bolton beat League One side Accrington Stanley 3–0 on 22 August, but their pre-season 100% record was ended when a youthful Bolton side lost 5–1 to local rivals Wigan Athletic on 25 August. Bolton finished Pre-season with a 0–3 home defeat to newly promoted League One side Crewe Alexandra. A day later the club announced that Antoni Sarcevic had been named club captain for the forthcoming season.Bolton Wanderers @OfficialBWFC "Your Bolton Wanderers captain for the 2020/21 season: @ASarcevic #BWFC" Twitter, 29 August 2020. 7:00AM.
Competitions EFL League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches The fixtures for the 2020–21 EFL League Two season were released on 21 August and saw Bolton opening their campaign at home to Forest Green Rovers on 12 September. The regular season concluded on 8 May with a trip to Crawley Town.
FA Cup
The draw for the first round was made on Monday 26, October.
EFL Cup
Bolton will enter the EFL Cup at the first round stage, along with all other League One and League Two club and the majority of Championship clubs. The draw was made on 18 August and saw Bolton face Bradford City in the first round.
EFL Trophy
On 17 August, Bolton were drawn with Crewe Alexandra and Shrewsbury Town in the group stage of the EFL Trophy. The regional group stage draw was confirmed on 18 August with Newcastle United U21 completing the group.
Statistics
! colspan="14" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Goalkeepers
! colspan="14" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Defenders
! colspan="14" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Midfielders
! colspan="14" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Forwards
|colspan=14|Out on loan:
|colspan=14|Left during the season:
Goals record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name League Two FA Cup League Cup EFL Trophy Total19 CFEoin Doyle 190001927 CFNathan Delfouneso 6200810CMAntoni Sarcevic 70108420CFShaun Miller 3001452 RBGethin Jones 3000323RWLloyd Isgrove 3000324LWArthur Gnahoua 20013 -RBPeter Kioso 3000396 CBRyan Delaney 1001228LBDeclan John 2000229CMKieran Lee 200021211CMAli Crawford 1000112RBJak Hickman 0001115LBJamie Mascoll 0001125CMGeorge Thomason 1000130LWOladapo Afolayan 1000132LBBen Jackson 1000134CBAdam Senior 00011Own Goals 40004Total 5921668
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name League Two FA Cup League Cup EFL Trophy Total 14 CMMJ Williams 70100000000070126 CBRyan Delaney 41000000010051035 CBRicardo Santos 50000000000050010CMAntoni Sarcevic 50000000000050016CBReiss Greenidge 11000000010021068 CMBrandon Comley 40000000000040021CBHarry Brockbank 40000000000040025CMGeorge Thomason 400000000000400 -CMTom White 2000000002004001014RWMarcus Maddison 00100000000000128LBDeclan John 30000000000030029CMKieran Lee 300000000000300 -RBPeter Kioso 010000000000010142 RBGethin Jones 20000000000020027CBAlex Baptiste 200000000000200163 LBLiam Gordon 1000000000001009 CFEoin Doyle 10000000000010012RBJak Hickman 10000000000010013GKMatt Gilks 10000000000010017CMRonan Darcy 10000000000010018CMAndrew Tutte 10000000000010023RWLloyd Isgrove 10000000000010030LWOladapo Afolayan 10000000000010034CBAdam Senior 000000000100100 -CBGeorge Taft 000000000100100Total 53320000006005932
Transfers Transfers in Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 10 July 2020 CF Eoin Doyle Swindon Town Free transfer 15 July 2020 CM Antoni Sarcevic Plymouth Argyle Free transfer 20 July 2020 CB George Taft Cambridge United Free transfer 21 July 2020 CM Brandon Comley Colchester United Free transfer 1 August 2020 LB Liam Gordon Dagenham & Redbridge Free transfer 3 August 2020 CB Ricardo Santos Barnet Free transfer 4 August 2020 CB Reiss Greenidge Arendal Free transfer 4 August 2020 RB Gethin Jones Carlisle United Free transfer 6 August 2020 CF Nathan Delfouneso Blackpool Free transfer 6 August 2020 GK Matt Gilks Fleetwood Town Free transfer 6 August 2020 RB Jak Hickman Coventry City Free transfer 7 August 2020 CB Alex Baptiste Doncaster Rovers Free transfer 24 August 2020 LB Jamie Mascoll Wycombe Wanderers Free transfer 3 September 2020 CM Andrew Tutte Morecambe Free transfer 4 September 2020 CF Bright Amoateng Free agent Free transfer 5 September 2020 CF Shaun Miller Crewe Alexandra Free transfer 26 September 2020 LW Arthur Gnahoua Macclesfield Town Free transfer 26 September 2020 RW Lloyd Isgrove Swindon Town Free transfer 8 January 2021 DM Kieran Lee Sheffield Wednesday Free transfer 1 February 2021 DM MJ Williams Blackpool Free transfer
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until Ref. 28 July 2020 CM Tom White Blackburn Rovers 2 February 2021 3 August 2020 GK Billy Crellin Fleetwood Town End of season 15 October 2020 RB Peter Kioso Luton Town 11 January 2021 7 January 2021 LB Declan John Swansea City End of season 16 January 2021 LW Zack Elbouzedi Lincoln City End of season 16 January 2021 LB Ben Jackson Huddersfield Town End of season 1 February 2021 LW Oladapo Afolayan West Ham United End of season 1 February 2021 GK Lukas Jensen Burnley End of season 1 February 2021 AM Marcus Maddison Charlton Athletic 12 April 2021 2021 CM Liam Coyle Liverpool 2021 The Bolton News: "Bolton Wanderers 'passed' on Liverpool academy midfield prospect Liam Coyle"
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref. 31 August 2020 RM Callum King-Harmes Bamber Bridge 21 February 2021 31 August 2020 CM George Thomason Bamber Bridge 17 November 2020 6 November 2020 CF Muhammadu Faal Barnet End of season 17 December 2020 LB Liam Gordon Dagenham & Redbridge End of season 7 January 2021 CB George Taft Scunthorpe United 1 February 2021 1 February 2021 CM Ali Crawford Tranmere Rovers End of season 24 February 2021 LB Jamie Mascoll Waterford End of season 5 March 2021 RB Jak Hickman King's Lynn Town End of season
Transfers out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2020 AM Will Buckley Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF Eddie Brown Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF De'Marlio Brown-Sterling Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 LB Joe Bunney Matlock Town Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF Joe Dodoo Ankara Keçiörengücü Free transfer Ghanaweb: "Ghanaian forward Joe Dodoo joins Turkish side Ankara Keciorengucu SK" 1 July 2020 LB Myles Edmondson Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 RB Josh Emmanuel Hull City Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF Connor Hall Woking Free transfer 1 July 2020 CB Jack Hobbs Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 CM Jason Lowe Salford City Free transfer 1 July 2020 GK Remi Matthews Sunderland Free transfer 1 July 2020 CM Jacob Mellis Gillingham Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF Daryl Murphy Waterford Free transfer 1 July 2020 CM Luke Murphy Crewe Alexandra Free transfer 1 July 2020 CF Chris O'Grady Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 CM Kwame Osigwe Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 CB D'Neal Richards Free agent Free transfer 1 July 2020 LB Joe White Lower Breck Free transfer 1 July 2020 CB Yoan Zouma Barrow Free transfer 1 February 2021 AM Regan Riley Norwich City £250,000 The Bolton News: Bolton Wanderers transfer deadline day live January 2021: "Regan Riley has gone to Norwich City for £250,000" 1 February 2021 CB George Taft Scunthorpe United Free transfer BBC Sport: "George Taft and Teddy Howe: Scunthorpe United sign defenders in deadline-day deals" "Taft, 27, moves on a free transfer less than a month after joining on loan and has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal."
References