# 2001–02 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season

The 2001–02 season was the 123rd season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and was their first season back in the top-flight after a Three-year absence. It covers the period from 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002.

## Season summary

Three wins from their first three Premiership games put newly promoted Bolton on top of the table, and manager Sam Allardyce was boasting (tongue-in-cheek) that his side were capable of winning their first-ever league title, but the strong start to the season was not followed up and in the end they finished 16th, just enough to avoid relegation.

## First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Steve Banks |
| 2 | DF | FRA | Bruno Ngotty |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Mike Whitlow |
| 4 | DF | ISL | Guðni Bergsson (captain) |
| 5 | DF | SCO | Colin Hendry |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Paul Warhurst |
| 7 | FW | DEN | Bo Hansen |
| 8 | MF | DEN | Per Frandsen |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Henrik Pedersen |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Dean Holdsworth |
| 11 | MF | JAM | Ricardo Gardner |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Dean Holden |
| 13 | FW | FRA | Youri Djorkaeff |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Gareth Farrelly |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Kevin Nolan |
| 16 | FW | GER | Fredi Bobic (on loan from Borussia Dortmund) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | FW | ENG | Michael Ricketts |
| 19 | MF | ENG | David Norris |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Nicky Southall |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Rod Wallace |
| 22 | GK | FIN | Jussi Jääskeläinen |
| 23 | MF | FRA | Mario Espartero (on loan from Metz) |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Anthony Barness |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Simon Charlton |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Leam Richardson |
| 28 | MF | JAM | Jermaine Johnson |
| 29 | MF | DEN | Stig Tøfting |
| 30 | GK | ENG | Kevin Poole |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Jeff Smith |
| 34 | MF | GRE | Kostas Konstantinidis (on loan from Hertha Berlin) |
| 38 | MF | NIR | Wayne Buchanan |
| 46 | MF | JAM | Cleveland Taylor |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Ian Marshall (to Blackpool) |
| 23 | MF | SEN | Djibril Diawara (on loan from Torino) |
| 27 | FW | JPN | Akinori Nishizawa (on loan from Cerezo Osaka) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 42 | GK | FIN | Jani Viander (on loan from HJK) |
| — | MF | ENG | Nicky Summerbee (to Manchester City) |

### Reserve 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 |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Paul Wheatcroft |
| 27 | MF | TAH | Gérald Forschelet |
| 31 | FW | ITA | Emanuele Morini |
| 33 | MF | ENG | Ryan Baldacchino |
| 35 | GK | USA | Jeff Cassar |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 37 | DF | ENG | Nicky Hunt |
| 39 | MF | IRL | Ciaran Ryan |
| 40 | MF | ENG | Chris Downey |
| 41 | DF | IRL | Alan O'Hare |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 11 June 2001 | MF | Nicky Southall | Gillingham | Free |
| 3 July 2001 | FW | Henrik Pedersen | Silkeborg | £650,000 |
| 17 September 2001 | FW | Rod Wallace | Rangers | Free |
| 26 October 2001 | GK | Kevin Poole | Birmingham City | Free |
| 28 November 2001 | MF | Derek Niven | Raith Rovers | Free |
| 2 January 2002 | GK | Jeremy Bon | Bordeaux | Free |
| 28 January 2002 | DF | Bruno Ngotty | Marseille | £500,000 |
| 1 February 2002 | MF | Gérald Forschelet | Cannes | Undisclosed |
| 8 February 2002 | MF | Stig Tøfting | Hamburg | £250,000 |
| 13 February 2002 | FW | Youri Djorkaeff | Kaiserslautern | Free |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 14 June 2001 | DF | John O'Kane | Blackpool | Free |
| 14 June 2001 | GK | Matt Glennon | Hull City | £50,000 |
| 2 July 2001 | DF | Robbie Elliott | Newcastle United | Free |
| 4 September 2001 | MF | Nicky Summerbee | Manchester City | Free |
| 7 January 2002 | FW | Ian Marshall | Blackpool | Free |

### Loan in

| Date | Pos | Name | Club | Until |
| 22 June 2001 | DF | Djibril Diawara | Torino | 29 January 2002 |
| 16 July 2001 | FW | Akinori Nishizawa | Cerezo Osaka | 8 January 2002 |
| 7 September 2001 | DF | Bruno Ngotty | Marseille | 27 January 2002 |
| 19 September 2001 | MF | Jermaine Johnson | Tivoli Gardens | 25 March 2004 |
| 16 November 2001 | GK | Jani Viander | HJK | 17 January 2002 |
| 11 January 2002 | FW | Fredi Bobic | Borussia Dortmund | 11 May 2002 |
| 21 February 2002 | MF | Mario Espartero | Metz | 11 May 2002 |
| 26 March 2002 | MF | Kostas Konstantinidis | Hertha Berlin | 11 May 2002 |
| 28 March 2002 | GK | Jeff Cassar | Miami Fusion | 11 May 2002 |

### Loan out

| Date | Pos | Name | Club | Return |
| 28 September 2001 | FW | Paul Wheatcroft | Rochdale | 28 October 2001 |
| 6 November 2001 | FW | Ian Marshall | Blackpool | 6 January 2002 |
| 23 November 2001 | MF | Jeff Smith | Macclesfield Town | 19 January 2002 |
| 13 December 2001 | GK | Steve Banks | Rochdale | 1 May 2002 |
| 28 January 2002 | DF | Alan O'Hare | Chesterfield | 21 April 2002 |
| 25 February 2002 | FW | Paul Wheatcroft | Mansfield Town | 25 February 2002 |
| 28 February 2002 | DF | Colin Hendry | Preston North End | 28 March 2002 |
| 4 March 2002 | MF | David Norris | Hull City | 21 April 2002 |
| 22 March 2002 | MF | Wayne Buchanan | Chesterfield | 21 April 2002 |
| 17 April 2002 | FW | Henrik Pedersen | Silkeborg | 1 June 2002 |

## Results
### FA Premier League
#### Results per matchday

| Matchday | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A |
| Result | W | W | W | D | L | D | D | L | L | W | L | D | W | D | L | L | D | L | L | D | D | D | D | L | L | W | D | D | L | L | W | W | L | W | D | L | L | L |
| Position | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 18 August 2001 | Leicester City | A | 5 – 0 | Nolan (2) 15', 41', Ricketts 33', Frandsen (2) 45', 83' | 19,987 |
| 21 August 2001 | Middlesbrough | H | 1 – 0 | Ricketts 39' | 20,747 |
| 27 August 2001 | Liverpool | H | 2 – 1 | Ricketts 27', Holdsworth 90' | 27,205 |
| 8 September 2001 | Leeds United | A | 0 – 0 | | 40,153 |
| 15 September 2001 | Southampton | H | 0 – 1 | | 24,378 |
| 19 September 2001 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1 – 1 | Wallace 69' | 25,949 |
| 22 September 2001 | Arsenal | A | 1 – 1 | Ricketts 83' | 38,014 |
| 29 September 2001 | Sunderland | H | 0 – 2 | | 24,520 |
| 13 October 2001 | Newcastle United | H | 0 – 4 | | 25,631 |
| 20 October 2001 | Manchester United | A | 2 – 1 | Nolan 35', Ricketts 84' | 67,559 |
| 27 October 2001 | Aston Villa | A | 2 – 3 | Ricketts (2) 2', 75' | 33,599 |
| 3 November 2001 | Everton | H | 2 – 2 | Frandsen 10', Ricketts 90' | 27,343 |
| 18 November 2001 | Ipswich Town | A | 2 – 1 | Bergsson 6', Ricketts 25' | 22,335 |
| 24 November 2001 | Fulham | H | 0 – 0 | | 23,848 |
| 3 December 2001 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2 – 3 | Ricketts 8', Wallace 56' | 32,971 |
| 8 December 2001 | Derby County | A | 0 – 1 | | 25,712 |
| 15 December 2001 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0 – 0 | Frandsen 84' | 20,834 |
| 23 December 2001 | Chelsea | A | 1 – 5 | Nolan 3' | 34,063 |
| 26 December 2001 | Leeds United | H | 0 – 3 | | 27,060 |
| 29 December 2001 | Leicester City | H | 2 – 2 | Nolan 34', Ricketts 90' | 23,037 |
| 1 January 2002 | Liverpool | A | 1 – 1 | Nolan 78' | 43,710 |
| 12 January 2002 | Chelsea | H | 2 – 2 | Ricketts 56', Nolan 79' | 23,891 |
| 19 January 2002 | Middlesbrough | A | 1 – 1 | Hansen 73' | 26,104 |
| 29 January 2002 | Manchester United | H | 0 – 4 | | 27,350 |
| 2 February 2002 | Newcastle United | A | 2 – 3 | Gardner 19', Southall 34' | 52,094 |
| 9 February 2002 | West Ham United | H | 1 – 0 | Gardner 38' | 24,342 |
| 23 February 2002 | Southampton | A | 0 – 0 | | 31,380 |
| 2 March 2002 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1 – 1 | Wallace 45' | 27,203 |
| 5 March 2002 | Sunderland | A | 0 – 1 | | 43,011 |
| 16 March 2002 | Derby County | H | 1 – 3 | Gardner 46' | 25,893 |
| 23 March 2002 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2 – 1 | Djorkaeff (2) 15', 39' | 26,358 |
| 30 March 2002 | Aston Villa | H | 3 – 2 | Delaney 8'(og), Bobic 40', Nolan 76' | 24,600 |
| 1 April 2002 | Everton | A | 1 – 3 | Ngotty 75' | 39,784 |
| 6 April 2002 | Ipswich Town | H | 4 – 1 | Bobic (3) 2', 30', 38', Djorkaeff 35' | 25,817 |
| 20 April 2002 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1 – 1 | Holdsworth 71' | 25,817 |
| 23 April 2002 | Fulham | A | 0 – 3 | | 18,107 |
| 29 April 2002 | Arsenal | H | 0 – 2 | | 27,351 |
| 11 May 2002 | West Ham United | A | 1 – 2 | Djorkaeff | 35,546 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 14 | Charlton Athletic | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 38 | 49 | −11 | 44 | |
| 15 | Everton | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 45 | 57 | −12 | 43 | |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 44 | 62 | −18 | 40 | |
| 17 | Sunderland | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 29 | 51 | −22 | 40 | |
| 18 | Ipswich Town (R) | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 41 | 64 | −23 | 36 | UEFA Cup QR and relegation to the First Division |
* ↑ Ipswich Town qualified for the UEFA Cup qualifying as the winners of Premiership Fair Play League by The Football Association, and as one of the UEFA Fair Play ranking winners.

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 16 January 2002 | Round 3 | Stockport County | A | 4 – 1 | Bergsson 36', Fradin 42'(og), Frandsen 73', Ricketts 85' | 5,821 |
| 5 February 2002 | Round 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0 – 4 | | 27,093 |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 11 September 2001 | Round 2 | Walsall | H | 4 – 3 (aet) | Ricketts 68', Holdsworth 80', Nishizawa 90', Pedersen 97' | 5,761 |
| 8 October 2001 | Round 3 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1 – 0 | Wallace 3' | 6,881 |
| 27 November 2001 | Round 4 | Southampton | H | 2 – 2 (6 – 5 on penalties) | Holdsworth 55' (pen), Ricketts 110' | 8,404 |
| 11 December 2001 | Round 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0 – 6 | | 28,430 |

## Statistics
### Appearances

Bolton used a total of 35 players during the season.
| P | Player | Position | PL | FAC | LC | Total |
| 1 | Jussi Jääskeläinen | Goalkeeper | 34 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 38 0(0) |
| 2 | Kevin Nolan | Midfielder | 34 0(1) | 01 0(1) | 01 0(1) | 36 0(3) |
| 3 | Simon Charlton | Defender | 35 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 36 0(1) |
| 4 | Ricardo Gardner | Midfielder | 29 0(2) | 02 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 31 0(1) |
| 5 | Guðni Bergsson | Defender | 29 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 31 0(0) |
| 6 | Ricardo Gardner | Midfielder | 31 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 31 0(1) |
| 7 | Mike Whitlow | Defender | 28 0(1) | 01 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 29 0(2) |
| 8 | Michael Ricketts | Striker | 26 (12) | 01 0(1) | 00 0(3) | 27 (16) |
| 9 | Per Frandsen | Midfielder | 25 0(5) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 26 0(5) |
| 10 | Bruno Ngotty | Defender | 24 0(2) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(1) | 26 0(3) |
| 11 | Paul Warhurst | Defender/Midfielder | 25 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 26 0(0) |
| 12 | Anthony Barness | Defender | 19 0(6) | 02 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 23 0(6) |
| 13= | Nicky Southall | Defender/Midfielder | 10 0(8) | 02 0(0) | 04 0(0) | 16 0(8) |
| 13= | Rod Wallace | Striker | 14 0(6) | 01 0(0) | 01 0(2) | 16 0(8) |
| 15 | Gareth Farrelly | Midfielder | 11 0 (7) | 02 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 16 0(7) |
| 16 | Bo Hansen | Striker | 10 0(7) | 02 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 14 0(7) |
| 17 | Fredi Bobic | Striker | 14 0(2) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 14 0(2) |
| 18 | Dean Holdsworth | Striker | 09 (22) | 00 0(1) | 03 0(1) | 12 (24) |
| 19 | Youri Djorkaeff | Midfielder/Striker | 12 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 12 0(0) |
| 20 | Henrik Pedersen | Streiker | 05 0(6) | 02 0(0) | 01 0(1) | 08 0(7) |
| 21 | Delroy Facey | Striker | 01 0(8) | 02 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(8) |
| 22 | Jermaine Johnson | Midfielder | 04 0(6) | 01 0(1) | 02 0(0) | 07 0(7) |
| 23 | Colin Hendry | Defender | 03 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 04 0(0) | 07 0(0) |
| 24 | Djibril Diawara | Defender | 04 0(5) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 06 0(5) |
| 25 | Stig Tøfting | Midfielder | 06 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 06 0(0) |
| 26= | Kevin Poole | Goalkeeper | 03 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(0) |
| 26= | Kostas Konstantinidis | Defender | 03 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(0) |
| 26= | Akinori Nishizawa | Striker | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 03 0(0) |
| 29= | Ian Marshall | Defender/Striker | 00 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 02 0(1) |
| 29= | David Norris | Midfielder | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 01 0(1) | 02 0(1) |
| 29= | Leam Richardson | Midfielder | 00 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 02 0(1) |
| 32 | Steve Banks | Goalkeeper | 01 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(0) |
| 33= | Dean Holden | Defender | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 01 0(0) |
| 33= | Jani Viander | Goalkeeper | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) |
| 34= | Wayne Buchanan | Midfielder | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) |
| 34 | Cleveland Taylor | Midfielder | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) |

### Top scorers

| P | Player | Position | PL | FAC | LC | Total |
| 1 | Michael Ricketts | Striker | 12 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| 2 | Kevin Nolan | Midfielder | 08 | 0 | 0 | 08 |
| 3= | Fredi Bobic | Striker | 04 | 0 | 0 | 04 |
| 3= | Youri Djorkaeff | Midfielder/Striker | 04 | 1 | 0 | 04 |
| 3= | Dean Holdsworth | Striker | 02 | 0 | 2 | 04 |
| 3= | Rod Wallace | Striker | 03 | 0 | 1 | 04 |