On 20 May 2016, Bolton Wanderers announced their English pre-season schedule in full for both the entire squad and an XI squad. They also announced that there would be a training camp and further games abroad.[1] These games were confirmed on 3 June as being against Danish teams HB Køge and FC Helsingør.[2] On 17 June the away game at Ashton United was cancelled as the home side's pitch would not be ready.[3] On 27 June the game at HB Køge was cancelled as it was felt that the date was too early in the pre-season.[4] The Bolton XI game against Chester on 20 July was also cancelled as it was felt there was not enough first-team players to make up Bolton's team travelling to Tranmere Rovers a day earlier. Due to this, some of the Bolton XI traveled with the first-team for the game and both games were mixtures of first team players and the reserve players.[5]
Source: BBC Sport Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored (C) Champions; (P) Promoted Notes:
^Four teams play for one spot and promotion to the EFL Championship.
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
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
Ground
H
A
A
H
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
A
H
A
A
H
A
H
H
A
H
A
H
H
A
H
H
A
H
H
A
A
H
H
A
A
H
A
A
H
A
A
A
H
A
H
Result
W
W
W
W
D
D
D
L
D
L
L
W
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
D
L
L
D
W
W
D
L
D
D
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
L
L
D
W
W
Position
7
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
7
8
4
3
3
2
2
4
3
3
2
2
3
3
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Updated to match(es) played on 30 April 2017. Source: 11v11 for league tables and fixtures A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Matches
On 22 June 2016, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced. Bolton will start the season at home to Sheffield United on 6 August and finish at home to Peterborough United on April 30, 2017.[6]
Bolton entered the competition at the first round stage for the first time since 1993, alongside all other Football League One and Football League Two sides.
On 1 July, it was reported that the transfer embargo that the club had been under since the previous season was to be at least partially lifted by the Football League[11] and the day after former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Chris Taylor signed on a free transfer,[12] followed the following day by Millwall defender Mark Beevers, also on a free transfer.[13] They were followed on 5 July by Bradford City forward Jamie Proctor, also signed on a free transfer.[14] Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Mark Howard then signed for the club. David Wheater re-signed on a one-year deal after initially being released at the end of the previous season. He was shortly followed to the club by defender Lewis Buxton after his release from Rotherham United.
