1987–88 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season
| Highest home attendance | 9,921 (vs. Burnley, 4 April 1988) |
|---|---|
| Lowest home attendance | 3,375 (vs. Preston North End, 13 October 1987) |
→ | |
The 1987–1988 season was the 109th season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and their first season in the Fourth Division following relegation from the Third Division. Until the 2020-21 season, it was the only season that the club had spent in the bottom tier of English football.
This article covers the period from 1 July 1987 to 30 June 1988.[1]
Kit
Bolton retained the previous season's kit, manufactured by Umbro and sponsored by Normid.
Results
Division Four
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 August 1987 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–1 | Henshaw | 4,792 |
| 22 August 1987 | Cardiff City | H | 1–0 | Chandler | 4,530 |
| 29 August 1987 | Scarborough | A | 0–4 | 4,462 | |
| 31 August 1987 | Peterborough United | H | 2–0 | Thompson
|
3,746 |
| 5 September 1987 | Hereford United | A | 3–0 | Thomas (2), Morgan
|
2,541 |
| 12 September 1987 | Halifax Town | H | 2–0 | Henshaw, Shaw (og) | 4,445 |
| 15 September 1987 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–1 | Morgan | 2,501 |
| 19 September 1987 | Torquay United | A | 1–2 | Savage
|
2,211 |
| 26 September 1987 | Hartlepool United | H | 1–2 | Came | 4,398 |
| 3 October 1987 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | Thomas (pen)
|
3,833 |
| 10 October 1987 | Darlington | A | 0–1 | 1,763 | |
| 17 October 1987 | Carlisle United | H | 5–0 | Brookman (2), Darby, S.Elliott, Wright (og) | 4,184 |
| 20 October 1987 | Exeter City | H | 1–0 | Came | 4,165 |
| 24 October 1987 | Rochdale | A | 2–2 | Thomas (2) (1pen)
|
4,294 |
| 31 October 1987 | Swansea City | H | 1–1 | Thompson
|
4,607 |
| 3 November 1987 | Newport County | A | 1–0 | S. Elliott | 1,566 |
| 7 November 1987 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–0 | Thomas
|
5,189 |
| 21 November 1987 | Burnley | A | 1– 2 | Thomas
|
7,489 |
| 28 November 1987 | Cambridge United | H | 2–2 | Thomas (2)
|
4,294 |
| 11 December 1987 | Colchester United | A | 0–3 | 1,725 | |
| 15 December 1987 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 0–2 | 3,064 | |
| 19 December 1987 | Wrexham
|
H | 2–0 | Thomas
|
4,703 |
| 26 December 1987 | Hartlepool United | A | 0–0 | 4,102 | |
| 28 December 1987 | Stockport County | H | 2–1 | Storer, Morgan | 6,607 |
| 1 January 1988 | Scarborough | H | 3–1 | Thompson
|
6,295 |
| 12 January 1988 | Halifax Town | A | 0–0 | 2,689 | |
| 16 January 1988 | Torquay United | H | 1–2 | Came | 5,996 |
| 30 January 1988 | Peterborough United | H | 4–0 | Thomas (3) (2pens), Brookman
|
3,485 |
| 6 February 1988 | Hereford United | H | 1–0 | Savage
|
4,559 |
| 12 February 1988 | Stockport County | H | 2–1 | Brookman, Morgan | 4,814 |
| 20 February 1988 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 1–2 | Morgan | 4,305 |
| 27 February 1988 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–4 | 12,430 | |
| 1 March 1988 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–0 | Thomas
|
3,979 |
| 5 March 1988 | Carlisle United | A | 2–0 | Thomas (pen), Brookman
|
2,796 |
| 11 March 1988 | Darlington | H | 1–1 | Brookman | 4,948 |
| 18 March 1988 | Swansea City | A | 0–1 | 3,980 | |
| 26 March 1988 | Rochdale | H | 0–0 | 4,875 | |
| 2 April 1988 | Leyton Orient | A | 2–1 | May
|
4,537 |
| 4 April 1988 | Burnley | H | 2–1 | Thompson
|
9,921 |
| 9 April 1988 | Exeter City | A | 1–1 | Thomas
|
1,962 |
| 15 April 1988 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 | 6,703 | |
| 19 April 1988 | Scunthorpe United | H | 0–0 | 6,669 | |
| 23 April 1988 | Newport County | H | 6–0 | Thompson
|
4,357 |
| 29 April 1988 | Cambridge United | A | 2–2 | Savage
|
2,063 |
| 2 May 1988 | Colchester United | H | 4–0 | 5,540 | |
| 7 May 1988 | Wrexham
|
A | 1–0 | Savage
|
5,977 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 82 | 43 | +39 | 90 | Champions - automatically promoted to Third Division |
| 2 | Cardiff City | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 66 | 41 | +25 | 85 | Automatically promoted to Third Division; Welsh Cup Winners - qualified for Cup Winners' Cup |
| 3 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 66 | 42 | +24 | 78 | Automatically promoted to Third Division |
| 4 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 76 | 51 | +25 | 77 | Participated in Fourth Division play-offs |
| 5 | Torquay United | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 66 | 41 | +25 | 77 |
Source: [citation needed]
FA Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 November 1987 | Round 1 | Burnley | A | 1–0 | Thomas
|
10,461 |
| 5 December 1987 | Round 2 | Wrexham
|
A | 2–1 | Thomas
|
4,703 |
| 4 January 1988 | Round 3 | Barnsley | A | 1–3 | Stevens | 9,667 |
Littlewoods Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 1987 | Round 1 First Leg | Wigan Athletic
|
A | 3–2 | Morgan, Chandler | 4,115 |
| 25 August 1987 | Round 1 Second Leg | Wigan Athletic
|
H | 1 – 3 4 – 5 (agg) |
Thomas
|
5,847 |
Associate Members Cup
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 October 1987 | Group Stage Game One | Preston North End | H | 0–0 | 3,375 | |
| 24 November 1987 | Group Stage Game Two | Stockport County | A | 3–1 | Thomas (2), Brookman
|
2,123 |
| 19 January 1988 | Northern Section Round 1 | Bury | A | 0–1 | 3,796 |
Top scorers
| P | Player | Position | FL
|
FAC | LC
|
AMC
|
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Thomas
|
Striker | 22 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 28 |
| 2 | Trevor Morgan | Striker | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 3= | Steve Thompson
|
Midfielder | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 3= | Nicky Brookman | Striker | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 5= | Mark Came | Defender | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5= | Robbie Savage
|
Midfielder | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
References
- ^ "Bolton Wanderers 1987–88". bwfcstats.com. Retrieved 7 January 2010.