# 1990–91 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1990–1991 season was the 112th season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and their third successive season in the Football League Third Division. It covers the period from 1 July 1990 to 30 June 1991.

## Playing Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | WAL | David Felgate |
| — | GK | ENG | Kevin Rose |
| — | DF | ENG | Phil Brown |
| — | DF | ENG | Barry Cowdrill |
| — | DF | ENG | Paul Comstive |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Seagraves |
| — | DF | ENG | Alan Stubbs |
| — | DF | ENG | Stuart Storer |
| — | DF | ENG | Steve Thompson |
| — | DF | ENG | David Burke |
| — | DF | ENG | Scott Green |
| — | DF | ENG | Gary Henshaw |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Came |
| — | DF | ENG | Dean Crombie |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | ENG | Mark Winstanley |
| — | DF | ENG | Nicky Spooner |
| — | MF | ENG | Julian Darby |
| — | MF | ENG | Sammy Lee |
| — | MF | ENG | Neil Fisher |
| — | MF | ENG | Robbie Savage |
| — | FW | JAM | Tony Cunningham |
| — | FW | ENG | Tony Philliskirk |
| — | FW | ENG | Mark Patterson |
| — | FW | ENG | David Reeves |
| — | FW | ENG | Ian Stevens |
| — | FW | ENG | Mike Jeffrey |
| — | | ENG | Paul Hughes |

## Results
### Barclays League Division Three

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 25 August 1990 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–0 | Storer | 4,608 |
| 1 September 1990 | Bradford City | H | 0–1 | | 7,031 |
| 8 September 1990 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–4 | | 5,419 |
| 15 September 1990 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–2 | Green, Philliskirk, Darby | 4,933 |
| 18 September 1990 | Preston North End | H | 1–2 | Darby | 5,844 |
| 22 September 1990 | Brentford | A | 2–4 | Green, Reeves | 5,077 |
| 28 September 1990 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–2 | Philliskirk | 4,366 |
| 2 October 1990 | Mansfield Town | H | 1–1 | Reeves | 3,631 |
| 5 October 1990 | Stoke City | H | 0–1 | | 8,521 |
| 13 October 1990 | Bury | A | 2–2 | Thompson, Philliskirk | 5,634 |
| 20 October 1990 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–0 | Storer | 4,121 |
| 23 October 1990 | Rotherham United | H | 0–0 | | 4,692 |
| 27 October 1990 | Swansea City | H | 1–0 | Philliskirk | 4,158 |
| 3 November 1990 | Chester City | A | 2–0 | Reeves, Philliskirk | 2,553 |
| 10 November 1990 | Reading | H | 3–1 | Thompson, Reeves | 4,648 |
| 24 November 1990 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–0 | Green | 6,240 |
| 1 December 1990 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–1 | Green, Philliskirk | 6,941 |
| 15 December 1990 | Fulham | A | 1–0 | Philiskirk | 3,466 |
| 22 December 1990 | Cambridge United | H | 2–2 | Storer, Thompson | 5,800 |
| 26 December 1990 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | Green | 7,539 |
| 29 December 1990 | Birmingham City | A | 3–1 | Reeves, Philliskirk, Darby | 7,318 |
| 1 January 1991 | Bournemouth | H | 4–1 | Comstive (2), Philliskirk, Darby | 7,639 |
| 12 January 1991 | Bradford City | A | 1–1 | Philliskirk | 8,764 |
| 19 January 1991 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–0 | Thompson | 6,164 |
| 2 February 1991 | Preston North End | A | 2–1 | Philliskirk (2) | 9,844 |
| 5 February 1991 | Brentford | H | 1–0 | (Own goal) | 6,731 |
| 9 February 1991 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–1 | Philliskirk | 7,947 |
| 13 February 1991 | Exeter City | H | 0–1 | | 5,532 |
| 16 February 1991 | Grimsby Town | H | 0–0 | | 10,318 |
| 23 February 1991 | Reading | A | 1–0 | Cowdrill | 5,997 |
| 1 March 1991 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–1 | Patterson | 10,076 |
| 9 March 1991 | Fulham | H | 3–0 | Patterson, Philiskirk (2) | 7,316 |
| 12 March 1991 | Mansfield Town | A | 0–4 | | 3,611 |
| 16 March 1991 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–1 | Reeves, Darby | 7,812 |
| 19 March 1991 | Bury | H | 1–3 | Green | 9,006 |
| 22 March 1991 | Stoke City | A | 2–2 | Storer, Darby | 13,869 |
| 26 March 1991 | Exeter City | A | 1–2 | Reeves | 4,009 |
| 30 March 1991 | Southend United | H | 1–0 | Darby | 10,666 |
| 2 April 1991 | Cambridge United | A | 1–2 | Philliskirk | 7,763 |
| 7 April 1991 | Birmingham City | H | 3–1 | Cunningham, Philliskirk, Darby | 11,280 |
| 13 April 1991 | Southend United | A | 0–1 | | 7,156 |
| 16 April 1991 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–1 | Philliskirk (2), Reeves | 4,419 |
| 20 April 1991 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–0 | Reeves | 7,926 |
| 27 April 1991 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | Cunningham (2) | 8,045 |
| 4 May 1991 | Swansea City | A | 2–1 | Storer, Darby | 4,713 |
| 11 May 1991 | Chester City | H | 1–0 | Cunningham | 12,826 |
| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 2 | Southend United | 46 | 26 | 7 | 13 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 85 | Promoted |
| 3 | Grimsby Town | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 66 | 34 | +32 | 83 | Promoted |
| 4 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 64 | 50 | +14 | 83 | Participated in play-offs |
| 5 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 64 | 46 | +18 | 78 | Promoted through play-offs |
| 6 | Brentford | 46 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 59 | 47 | +12 | 76 | Participated in play-offs |
* ↑ Tranmere Rovers won the play-offs and were promoted.

### Barclays League Division Three play-offs

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 19 May 1991 | Semi-Final First Leg | Bury | A | 1–1 | Philliskirk | 8,000 |
| 22 May 1991 | Semi Final Second Leg | Bury | H | 1–0 2–1 (agg) | Philliskirk | 19,198 |
| 1 June 1991 | Final | Tranmere Rovers | Wembley Stadium | 0–1 | | 30,217 |

### F.A. Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 17 November 1990 | Round 1 | Witton Albion | A | 2–1 | Darby, Comstive | 3,790 |
| 11 December 1990 | Round 2 | Chesterfield | A | 4–3 | Storer, Thompson, Reeves, Philliskirk | 4,836 |
| 5 January 1991 | Round 3 | Barrow | H | 1–0 | Philliskirk | 11,475 |
| 26 January 1991 | Round 4 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | | 43,293 |

### Rumbelows Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 29 August 1990 | Round 1 First Leg | Huddersfield Town | A | 3–0 | Philliskirk, Darby (2) | 4,444 |
| 8 September 1990 | Round 1 Second Leg | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–1 5–1 (agg) | Stubbs, Darby | 3,101 |
| 26 September 1990 | Round 2 First Leg | Coventry City | A | 2–4 | Philliskirk (2) | 6,193 |
| 9 October 1990 | Round 2 Second Leg | Coventry City | H | 2–3 4–7 (agg) | Philliskirk (2) | 5,222 |

### Leyland DAF Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 6 November 1990 | Group Stage Game One | Tranmere Rovers | H | 1–0 | Reeves | 3,178 |
| 18 December 1990 | Group Stage Game Two | Blackpool | A | 0–3 | | 2,579 |

## Top scorers

| P | Player | Position | FL | FAC | LC | LD | Total |
| 1 | Tony Philliskirk | Striker | 19 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 26 |
| 2 | Julian Darby | Midfielder | 09 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| 3 | David Reeves | Striker | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| 4= | Stuart Storer | Midfielder | 05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 06 |
| 4= | Scott Green | Midfielder | 06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 06 |
| 4= | Steve Thompson | Midfielder | 05 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 06 |