# 1998–99 Bolton Wanderers F.C. season

The 1998–1999 season was the 120th season in Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s existence, and their first season back in the Football League First Division after relegation from the Premier League. It covers the period from 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999.

## Results
### Nationwide League Division One

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 8 August 1998 | Crystal Palace | A | 2 – 2 | Holdsworth 33', Gunnlaugsson 90' | 19,029 |
| 15 August 1998 | Grimsby Town | H | 2 – 0 | Blake 56', Holdsworth 70' (pen) | 16,584 |
| 23 August 1998 | Bradford City | A | 2 – 2 | Gunnlaugsson 19', Blake 60' | 13,163 |
| 29 August 1998 | Sheffield United | H | 2 – 2 | Strong 5', Blake 36' | 18,263 |
| 8 September 1998 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 3 – 2 | Gunnlaugsson 19', Blake 26', Gardner 88' | 15,789 |
| 12 September 1998 | Birmingham City | H | 3 – 1 | Taylor (2) 1', 49', Frandsen 5' | 19,637 |
| 19 September 1998 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 4 – 4 | Gunnlaugsson 23', 44', Taylor 37', Frandsen 50' | 5,744 |
| 26 September 1998 | Huddersfield Town | H | 3 – 0 | Frandsen 15', Blake 26', Gunnlaugsson 43' | 20,971 |
| 29 September 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 2 – 1 | Blake 46', Gunnlaugsson 86' | 16,497 |
| 3 October 1998 | Barnsley | A | 2 – 2 | Gunnlaugsson 21', Johansen 42' | 17,362 |
| 17 October 1998 | Oxford United | H | 1 – 1 | Frandsen 37' | 17,064 |
| 20 October 1998 | Watford | H | 1 – 2 | Gunnlaugsson 25' | 15,921 |
| 23 October 1998 | Bristol City | A | 1 – 2 | Gunnlaugsson 5' | 12,026 |
| 1 November 1998 | Sunderland | H | 0 – 3 | | 21,676 |
| 4 November 1998 | Port Vale | H | 3 – 1 | Taylor 5', Frandsen 20', Gunnlaugsson 69' | 13,324 |
| 7 November 1998 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0 – 2 | | 11,814 |
| 14 November 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2 – 2 | Johansen 53', Holdsworth 56' (pen) | 16,564 |
| 21 November 1998 | Ipswich Town | A | 1 – 0 | Taylor 90' | 17,225 |
| 24 November 1998 | Stockport County | A | 1 – 0 | Taylor 81' | 8,520 |
| 28 November 1998 | Bury | H | 4 – 0 | Johansen (2) 21', 57', Gunnlaugsson (2) 64', 67' | 21,028 |
| 5 December 1998 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1 – 1 | Taylor 58' | 22,537 |
| 12 December 1998 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1 – 1 | Taylor 11' | 6,959 |
| 19 December 1998 | Portsmouth | H | 3 – 1 | Taylor 70', Frandsen 78', Holdsworth 84' | 15,981 |
| 26 December 1998 | Bradford City | H | 0 – 0 | | 24,625 |
| 28 December 1996 | Port Vale | A | 2 – 0 | Sellars 48', Holdsworth 75' (pen) | 8,201 |
| 10 January 1999 | Crystal Palace | H | 3 – 0 | Taylor 3', Johansen 26', Jensen 33' | 15,410 |
| 16 January 1999 | Sheffield United | A | 2 – 1 | Holdsworth (2) 45', 72' | 15,787 |
| 30 January 1999 | Norwich City | H | 2 – 0 | Holdsworth 38', Cox 65' | 17,269 |
| 6 February 1999 | Grimsby Town | A | 1 – 0 | Holdsworth 54' | 8,674 |
| 13 February 1999 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2 – 1 | Taylor 43', Cox 51' | 20,657 |
| 21 February 1999 | Birmingham City | A | 0 – 0 | | 26,051 |
| 27 February 1999 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1 – 3 | Holdsworth 55' (pen) | 19,437 |
| 2 March 1999 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2 – 3 | Holdsworth 19', Johansen 50' | 13,867 |
| 6 March 1999 | Swindon Town | A | 3 – 3 | Fish 60', Jensen 70, Guðjohnsen 77' | 8,392 |
| 9 March 1999 | Barnsley | H | 3 – 3 | Sellars 15', Holdsworth 25' (pen), Guðjohnsen 80' | 16,537 |
| 13 March 1999 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2 – 1 | Taylor (2) 30', 58' | 17,919 |
| 20 March 1999 | Sunderland | A | 1 – 3 | Frandsen 49' | 41,505 |
| 3 April 1999 | Oxford United | A | 0 – 0 | | 7,547 |
| 5 April 1999 | Stockport County | H | 1 – 2 | Taylor 49' | 18,587 |
| 10 April 1999 | Watford | A | 0 – 2 | | 13,001 |
| 13 April 1999 | Bristol City | H | 1 – 0 | Guðjohnsen 7' | 14,4559 |
| 17 April 1999 | Ipswich Town | H | 2 – 0 | Taylor 37', Guðjohnsen 69' | 19,894 |
| 20 April 1999 | Norwich City | A | 2 – 2 | Cox 48', Frandsen 74' | 11,137 |
| 23 April 1999 | Bury | A | 2 – 1 | Cox 90' | 7,680 |
| 30 April 1999 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1 – 1 | Gardner 36' | 20,280 |
| 9 May 1999 | Portsmouth | A | 2 – 0 | Johansen 20', Guðjohnsen 67' | 16,015 |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Birmingham City | 46 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 66 | 37 | +29 | 81 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 5 | Watford (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 14 | 11 | 65 | 56 | +9 | 77 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 6 | Bolton Wanderers | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 78 | 59 | +19 | 76 | Qualification for the First Division play-offs |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 19 | 16 | 11 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 73 | |
| 8 | Sheffield United | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 71 | 66 | +5 | 67 | |

### Nationwide League Division One play-offs

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 16 May 1999 | Semi-Final First Leg | Ipswich Town | H | 1 – 0 | Johansen 84' | 18,295 |
| 19 May 1999 | Semi Final Second Leg | Ipswich Town | A | 3 – 4 (aet) Bolton win on away goals | Taylor 51', 96' Frandsen 84' | 21,755 |
| 31 May 1999 | Final | Watford | Wembley Stadium | 0 – 2 | | 70,343 |

### F.A. Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 2 January 1999 | Round 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1 – 2 | Sellars 57' | 18,269 |

### Worthington Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 11 August 1998 | Round 1 First Leg | Hartlepool | H | 1 – 0 | Taylor | 6,429 |
| 25 August 1998 | Round 1 Second Leg | Hartlepool | A | 3 – 0 4 – 0 (agg) | Blake (3) 55', 59', 71' | 3,185 |
| 15 September 1998 | Round 2 First Leg | Hull City | H | 3 – 1 | Phillips 45', Gunnlaugsson 61', Frandsen 89' | 7,544 |
| 22 September 1998 | Round 2 Second Leg | Hull City | A | 3 – 2 6 – 3 (agg) | Jensen 26', Johansen 72', Gardner 79' | 4,226 |
| 27 October 1998 | Round 3 | Norwich City | A | 1 – 1 (aet) Bolton win 3 – 1 on penalties | Elliott 96' | 14,189 |
| 10 November 1998 | Round 4 | Wimbledon | H | 1 – 2 | Jensen 52' | 7,868 |

## Appearances

Bolton used a total of 27 players during the season.
| P | Player | Position | FL | FAC | LC | Total |
| 1 | Claus Jensen | Midfielder | 47 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 06 0(0) | 54 0(0) |
| 2 | Per Frandsen | Midfielder | 47 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 04 0(0) | 52 0(0) |
| 3 | Neil Cox | Defender | 45 0(2) | 01 0(0) | 05 0(0) | 51 0(2) |
| 4 | Michael Johansen | Midfielder | 43 0(3) | 01 0(0) | 04 0(1) | 48 0(4) |
| 5 | Mark Fish | Defender | 39 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 05 0(0) | 45 0(0) |
| 6 | Jussi Jääskeläinen | Goalkeeper | 34 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 05 0(0) | 40 0(0) |
| 7 | Bob Taylor | Striker | 35 0(6) | 01 0(0) | 03 0(3) | 39 0(9) |
| 8 | Mike Whitlow | Defender | 27 0(1) | 01 0(0) | 03 0(1) | 31 0(2) |
| 9 | Arnar Gunnlaugsson | Striker | 22 0(5) | 00 0(1) | 06 0(0) | 28 0(6) |
| 10 | Dean Holdsworth | Striker | 22 (10) | 01 0(0) | 03 0(1) | 26 (11) |
| 11 | Scott Sellars | Midfielder | 22 0(4) | 01 0(0) | 02 0(0) | 250(4) |
| 12 | Ricardo Gardner | Midfielder | 22 0(6) | 00 0(1) | 02 0(1) | 24 0(8) |
| 13 | Andy Todd | Defender | 21 0(2) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 24 0(2) |
| 14 | Guðni Bergsson | Defender | 15 0(3) | 01 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 19 0(3) |
| 15 | Robbie Elliott | Defender | 17 0 (8) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 18 0(8) |
| 16 | Paul Warhurst | Defender/Midfielder | 17 0(5) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 17 0(5) |
| 17 | Jimmy Phillips | Defender | 14 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(1) | 17 0(2) |
| 18 | Nathan Blake | Striker | 11 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 02 0(1) | 13 0(2) |
| 19 | Steve Banks | Goalkeeper | 09 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 03 0(0) | 12 0(0) |
| 20 | Eiður Guðjohnsen | Striker | 11 0(6) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 11 0(7) |
| 21 | Greg Strong | Defender | 04 0(1) | 00 0(0) | 04 0(0) | 08 0(1) |
| 22 | Jon Newsome | Defender | 06 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 06 0(0) |
| 23 | Keith Branagan | Goalkeeper | 03 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 04 0(0) |
| 24 | Hasney Aljofree | Defender | 01 0(3) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) | 02 0(3) |
| 25 | Bo Hansen | Midfielder/Striker | 01 (10) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 (10) |
| 26 | Jamie Fullarton | Midfielder | 01 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 01 0(0) |
| 27 | Scott Taylor | Striker | 00 0(0) | 00 0(0) | 00 0(1) | 00 0(1) |

## Top scorers

| P | Player | Position | 1st Div | FAC | LC | Total |
| 1 | Bob Taylor | Striker | 17 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| 2 | Arnar Gunnlaugsson | Striker | 13 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | Dean Holdsworth | Striker | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 4 | Per Frandsen | Midfielder | 09 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 5 | Nathan Blake | Striker | 06 | 0 | 3 | 09 |