| D3 | 10/05/1972 | Bradford City | 0-3 | Bolton Wanderers | McAllister, Lee S, Wright R | | 2,468 | Win |
| D3 | 05/05/1972 | Torquay United | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | McAllister | | 2,081 | Draw |
| D3 | 02/05/1972 | Rotherham United | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 3,945 | Loss |
| D3 | 29/04/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-2 | Rotherham United | Phillips R 2 | | 5,345 | Draw |
| D3 | 24/04/1972 | Rochdale | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Jones G, Phillips R | | 4,826 | Draw |
| D3 | 22/04/1972 | Brighton | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Jones G (pen) | | 25,074 | Draw |
| D3 | 19/04/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Torquay United | Byrom, Jones G | | 5,193 | Win |
| D3 | 15/04/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Shrewsbury Town | Greaves (pen), Phillips R | | 5,447 | Win |
| D3 | 12/04/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Rochdale | Byrom, Jones P | | 5,773 | Win |
| D3 | 08/04/1972 | Walsall | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Byrom | | 4,735 | Draw |
| D3 | 03/04/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Tranmere Rovers | Byrom | | 6,216 | Win |
| D3 | 01/04/1972 | Barnsley | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 3,925 | Loss |
| D3 | 27/03/1972 | Mansfield Town | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 5,398 | Loss |
| D3 | 25/03/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Blackburn Rovers | Jones G | | 11,026 | Win |
| D3 | 22/03/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-1 | Walsall | | | 6,786 | Loss |
| D3 | 18/03/1972 | Bournemouth | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R 2 | | 15,123 | Win |
| D3 | 15/03/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Bradford City | | | 7,818 | Draw |
| D3 | 11/03/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-0 | Port Vale | Nicholson P, Hunt R, McMahon | | 5,956 | Win |
| D3 | 04/03/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Chesterfield | Wright R | | 5,607 | Win |
| D3 | 26/02/1972 | Wrexham | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R 2 | | 3,851 | Win |
| D3 | 19/02/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Bristol Rovers | | | 5,819 | Draw |
| D3 | 12/02/1972 | Swansea City | 3-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Greaves, Byrom | | 4,962 | Loss |
| FAC4 | 05/02/1972 | Chelsea | 3-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 38,066 | Loss |
| D3 | 29/01/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Plymouth Argyle | Greaves, Seddon I | | 5,856 | Win |
| D3 | 22/01/1972 | Halifax Town | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R | | 3,919 | Win |
| FAC3 | 15/01/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Torquay United | Hunt R, Greaves | | 7,551 | Win |
| D3 | 08/01/1972 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Notts County | Byrom | | 8,096 | Loss |
| D3 | 01/01/1972 | York City | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 4,467 | Draw |
| D3 | 27/12/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Barnsley | | | 6,973 | Draw |
| D3 | 18/12/1971 | Aston Villa | 3-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Seddon I, Waldron | | 27,767 | Loss |
| FAC2 | 11/12/1971 | Rossendale United | 1-4 | Bolton Wanderers | Greaves 3, Byrom (played at Gigg Lane, Bury) | | 12,100 | Win |
| D3 | 04/12/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Brighton | Greaves | | 5,209 | Draw |
| D3 | 26/11/1971 | Shrewsbury Town | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 6,605 | Loss |
| FAC1 | 20/11/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-0 | Bangor City | Ritson (pen), Nicholson P, Duffy | | 6,252 | Win |
| D3 | 13/11/1971 | Chesterfield | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R | | 9,423 | Loss |
| LC4R | 08/11/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-6 | Chelsea | | | 29,805 | Loss |
| D3 | 06/11/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-2 | Wrexham | | | 8,953 | Loss |
| D3 | 30/10/1971 | Bristol Rovers | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 11,532 | Loss |
| LC4 | 27/10/1971 | Chelsea | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Rowe | | 27,679 | Draw |
| D3 | 23/10/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Swansea City | | | 11,242 | Draw |
| D3 | 16/10/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Oldham Athletic | Ritson (pen), Greaves | | 13,302 | Win |
| D3 | 12/10/1971 | Plymouth Argyle | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 13,336 | Loss |
| D3 | 09/10/1971 | Port Vale | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Nicholson P | | 6,394 | Draw |
| LC3 | 05/10/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-0 | Manchester City | Jones G 3 (1 pen) | | 42,039 | Win |
| D3 | 02/10/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Mansfield Town | Greaves, Jones G | | 8,751 | Win |
| D3 | 29/09/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Halifax Town | Greaves | | 9,304 | Draw |
| D3 | 24/09/1971 | Tranmere Rovers | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 6,988 | Draw |
| D3 | 18/09/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-1 | York City | | | 12,192 | Loss |
| D3 | 11/09/1971 | Blackburn Rovers | 0-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R, Byrom 2 | | 13,938 | Win |
| LC2 | 07/09/1971 | Huddersfield Town | 0-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Greaves 2 | | 10,131 | Win |
| D3 | 04/09/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Aston Villa | Hunt R, Byrom | | 11,470 | Win |
| D3 | 28/08/1971 | Notts County | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Hunt R 2 | | 15,658 | Win |
| LC1R | 25/08/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Bradford City | Redfern, Phillips R | | 8,256 | Win |
| D3 | 21/08/1971 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-0 | Bournemouth | | | 8,962 | Draw |
| LC1 | 18/08/1971 | Bradford City | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Byrom | | 5,742 | Draw |
| D3 | 14/08/1971 | Oldham Athletic | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Byrom 2 | | 14,372 | Draw |