| D1 | 20/04/1897 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 16/04/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-2 | Sheffield United | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 10/04/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Sheffield Wednesday | Cassidy J, Miller T | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 05/04/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Nicoll | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 27/03/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Aston Villa | McGeachan | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 22/03/1897 | Aston Villa | 6-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Jack R 2 | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 20/03/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Nottingham Forest | | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 13/03/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Burnley | Miller T, Wright J | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 06/03/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-3 | Derby County | Joyce W | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 27/02/1897 | Sheffield Wednesday | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Draw |
| FAC2 | 13/02/1897 | Derby County | 4-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Brown R | | Unknown | Loss |
| FAC1R2 | 11/02/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-2 | Grimsby Town | Joyce W 2, Jones D (played at Bramall Lane, Sheffield) | | Unknown | Win |
| FAC1R | 08/02/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-3 | Grimsby Town | Cassidy J, Thomson, Jones D (aet) | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 06/02/1897 | Burnley | 0-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Cassidy J, Jack R | | Unknown | Win |
| FAC1 | 30/01/1897 | Grimsby Town | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 16/01/1897 | Nottingham Forest | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 01/01/1897 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-4 | Liverpool | Jack R | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 29/12/1896 | Sheffield United | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 26/12/1896 | Derby County | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 19/12/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-2 | West Bromwich Albion | Nicoll, Gilligan A | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 07/12/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Everton | Jack R, Gilligan A | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 21/11/1896 | Preston North End | 2-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Wright J, Gilligan A, Thomson | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 14/11/1896 | Everton | 2-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Thomson, Wright J, Gilligan A | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 02/11/1896 | West Bromwich Albion | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 31/10/1896 | Bury | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Jack R, Darroch (og) | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 24/10/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-0 | Stoke City | Jack R 2, Thomson, Gilligan A | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 17/10/1896 | Blackburn Rovers | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | Unknown | Loss |
| D1 | 10/10/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Bury | Paton, Nicoll | | 15,126 | Win |
| D1 | 03/10/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Preston North End | Wright J, Jack R, Gilligan A | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 26/09/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Sunderland | Jones D | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 19/09/1896 | Stoke City | 2-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Thomson, Nicoll, Clare (og) | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 12/09/1896 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Blackburn Rovers | | | Unknown | Draw |
| D1 | 07/09/1896 | Liverpool | 0-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Nicoll, Jack R | | Unknown | Win |
| D1 | 05/09/1896 | Sunderland | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Jack R | | Unknown | Draw |