2017–18 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season

On 9 May 2017 the club announced that they would host Stoke City on 29 July, a week before their league campaign commences.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] On 19 May, a second pre season friendly was announced against National League North side Stockport County on 25 July.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7]

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.[8] Meanwhile, a Bolton XI would play West Didsbury & Chorlton, Atherton Collieries, F.C. United of Manchester and Marine.[9] The game against West Didsbury & Chorlton was later postponed to a later date.[10] Four days later a fifth match, this one at AFC Fylde, was added to the pre-season diary.[11] Early the next morning the club confirmed that Gary Madine had signed a new two-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2019.[12]

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.[13] Five days later, Adam le Fondre was also signed up, this time on a two-year contract with the option of an extension.[14] 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.[15] A two-year shirt sponsorship deal with the bookmaker Betfred was announced on 12 June.[16] The EFL retained and released list from 13 June confirmed that further players, including George Newell, had been released.[17] 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.[18] On 20 June, Filipe Morais signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until June 2018.[19] A further friendly, this time at Scottish League One side Arbroath on 11 July, was confirmed on 21 June.[20] 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.[21] On 27 June, the same day that the squad returned to training,[22] a second friendly in Scotland was announced, this time at Dundee on 14 July.[23] 29 June saw forward Conor Wilkinson join Gillingham on a free transfer.[24]

On 3 July, the same day that the club confirmed that Jake Turner, Conor Hall and Jeff King had signed new contracts,[25] Jamie Proctor left the club for Rotherham United for an undisclosed fee.[26] Former Bradford City player Stephen Darby joined his former manager on 7 July on a free transfer.[27] A day later the club confirmed that former captain Jay Spearing had left the club after failing to agree a new contract.[28]

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[29] and Alex Samizadeh leaving to join Kilmarnock.[30] Bolton secured their first loan signing of the season on 17 July when Adam Armstrong joined from Newcastle United until January.[31]

Chorley v Bolton Wanderers

8 July 2017	Chorley	2–3	Bolton Wanderers	Chorley
15:00 BST	Gornell  3' Carver  17'	Report	Brockbank  59', 76' White  67'	Stadium: Victory Park Attendance: 1,447

Arbroath v Bolton Wanderers

11 July 2017	Arbroath	1–2	Bolton Wanderers	Arbroath, Scotland
19:30 BST	Doris  33' (pen.)	Report	le Fondre  32' (pen.) Hall  53'	Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 722

Dundee v Bolton Wanderers

14 July 2017	Dundee	1–2	Bolton Wanderers	Dundee
19:00 BST	McGowan  75'	Report	Madine  19' Vela  29'	Stadium: Dens Park Attendance: 2,227

Fleetwood Town v Bolton Wanderers

22 July 2017	Fleetwood Town	2–0	Bolton Wanderers	Fleetwood
15:00 BST	Hiwula  18' McAleny  71'	Report		Stadium: Highbury Stadium Attendance: 2,541

Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City

29 July 2017	Bolton Wanderers	1–2	Stoke City	Bolton
15:00 BST	le Fondre  44'	Report	Joselu  78', 88'	Stadium: Macron Stadium Attendance: 4,724

As of 6 May 2018

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		FA Cup		League Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2	DF		Mark Little	31	1	27+1	1	1+0	0	2+0	0
3	DF		Andrew Taylor	21	0	20+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
4	DF		Dorian Dervite	16	1	13+1	0	0+0	0	2+0	1
5	DF		Mark Beevers	47	1	44+0	1	1+0	0	2+0	0
6	MF		Josh Vela	31	1	26+4	1	1+0	0	0+0	0
8	MF		Jem Karacan	18	1	13+3	0	0+0	0	1+1	1
9	FW		Adam le Fondre	38	7	15+20	7	1+0	0	1+1	0
10	MF		Sammy Ameobi	36	4	33+2	4	1+0	0	0+0	0
11	MF		Will Buckley	25	2	14+9	2	0+0	0	2+0	0
12	MF		Craig Noone	27	1	6+19	1	0+1	0	1+0	0
13	GK		Ben Alnwick	41	0	39+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0
14	DF		Jon Flanagan	9	0	8+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
15	DF		Antonee Robinson	34	0	26+4	0	1+0	0	3+0	0
17	DF		Derik	20	2	13+4	0	1+0	1	2+0	1
18	FW		Aaron Wilbraham	28	2	3+21	2	1+0	0	1+2	0
19	FW		Tyler Walker	5	0	3+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF		Harry Charsley	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
21	MF		Darren Pratley	35	2	31+1	2	0+0	0	2+1	0
22	MF		Filipe Morais	36	1	17+15	1	1+0	0	1+2	0
23	DF		Stephen Darby	6	0	4+0	0	0+0	0	2+0	0
24	MF		Karl Henry	33	1	33+0	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
27	MF		Jan Kirchhoff	4	0	2+2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
31	DF		David Wheater	34	1	31+1	1	1+0	0	0+1	0
32	DF		Reece Burke	26	1	22+3	1	0+0	0	1+0	0
33	GK		Mark Howard	10	0	7+1	0	1+0	0	1+0	0
34	MF		Jeff King	3	0	1+0	0	0+1	0	1+0	0
35	FW		Connor Hall	1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
38	MF		Jack Earing	2	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	1+1	0
40	FW		Zach Clough	9	1	2+7	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
Player(s) who left the club:
14	FW		Gary Madine	29	9	28+0	9	0+0	0	0+1	0
16	MF		Josh Cullen	12	0	9+3	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	FW		Adam Armstrong	22	3	14+5	1	0+0	0	2+1	2

Goals record

As of 6 May 2018

Rank	No.	Nat.	Po.	Name	Championship	FA Cup	League Cup	Total
1	—		CF	Gary Madine	10	0	0	10
2	9		CF	Adam le Fondre	7	0	0	7
3	10		RW	Sammy Ameobi	4	0	0	4
4	—		CF	Adam Armstrong	1	0	2	3
5	11		LW	Will Buckley	2	0	0	2
	17		CB	Derik Osede	0	1	1	2
	18		CF	Aaron Wilbraham	2	0	0	2
	21		CM	Darren Pratley	2	0	0	2
9	2		RB	Mark Little	1	0	0	1
	4		CB	Dorian Dervite	0	0	1	1
	5		CB	Mark Beevers	1	0	0	1
	6		CM	Josh Vela	1	0	0	1
	8		CM	Jem Karacan	0	0	1	1
	12		RW	Craig Noone	1	0	0	1
	22		RW	Filipe Morais	1	0	0	1
	24		CM	Karl Henry	1	0	0	1
	31		CB	David Wheater	1	0	0	1
	32		CB	Reece Burke	1	0	0	1
	40		CF	Zach Clough	1	0	0	1
Total					37	1	5	43

Disciplinary Record

As of 6 May 2018

Rank	No.	Nat.	Po.	Name	Championship			FA Cup			League Cup			Total
1	24		CM	Karl Henry	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0	0
2	5		CB	Mark Beevers	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	0
	21		CM	Darren Pratley	8	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	10	0	0
4	10		RW	Sammy Ameobi	8	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0
	31		CB	David Wheater	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	0
6	22		RW	Filipe Morais	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1	0
7	—		CF	Gary Madine	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	0
8	8		CM	Jem Karacan	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	0	0
	15		LB	Antonee Robinson	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0
10	2		RB	Mark Little	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	1
	6		CM	Josh Vela	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0
12	3		LB	Andrew Taylor	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3	0	0
	14		RB	Jon Flanagan	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
	18		CF	Aaron Wilbraham	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
	32		CB	Reece Burke	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0
16	4		CB	Dorian Dervite	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	9		CF	Adam le Fondre	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	11		LW	Will Buckley	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	13		GK	Ben Alnwick	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	17		CB	Derik	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
21	12		RW	Craig Noone	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
	16		CM	Josh Cullen	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
Total					98	1	1	2	0	0	5	0	0	105	1	1