| D1 | 04/05/1997 | Tranmere Rovers | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay, Pollock | Highlights | 14,309 | Draw |
| D1 | 25/04/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-1 | Charlton Athletic | Thompson A, Taggart, McGinlay 2 (1 pen) | | 22,030 | Win |
| D1 | 19/04/1997 | Oldham Athletic | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 10,702 | Draw |
| D1 | 12/04/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-0 | Oxford United | Thompson A 2, Sellars, Blake | | 15,994 | Win |
| D1 | 09/04/1997 | Manchester City | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Paatelainen, Sellars | | 28,026 | Win |
| D1 | 05/04/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Queens Park Rangers | Fairclough, McGinlay | | 19,198 | Win |
| D1 | 22/03/1997 | Norwich City | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Sellars | | 17,585 | Win |
| D1 | 18/03/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-2 | Port Vale | Frandsen, Glover (og), Fairclough, Blake | | 14,150 | Win |
| D1 | 15/03/1997 | Ipswich Town | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay | | 16,187 | Win |
| D1 | 08/03/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 7-0 | Swindon Town | Thompson A, Frandsen, Pollock, Bergsson 2, McGinlay, Blake | | 13,981 | Win |
| D1 | 04/03/1997 | Crystal Palace | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Fairclough | | 16,035 | Draw |
| D1 | 02/03/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | West Bromwich Albion | Blake | | 13,258 | Win |
| D1 | 22/02/1997 | Huddersfield Town | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Fairclough, Taggart | | 16,061 | Win |
| D1 | 15/02/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-2 | Sheffield United | Paatelainen, Fairclough | | 17,922 | Draw |
| D1 | 08/02/1997 | Reading | 3-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Thompson A, McGinlay | | 10,739 | Loss |
| FAC4 | 04/02/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-3 | Chesterfield | Taylor S, Green | | 10,852 | Loss |
| D1 | 01/02/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Birmingham City | Pollock, McGinlay (pen) | | 16,737 | Win |
| D1 | 29/01/1997 | Stoke City | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Pollock, McGinlay | Highlights | 15,645 | Win |
| FAC3R | 25/01/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 6-2 | Luton Town | McGinlay, Blake 2, Thompson A, Pollock, Green | | 9,713 | Win |
| FAC3 | 21/01/1997 | Luton Town | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Pollock | | 7,414 | Draw |
| D1 | 18/01/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-0 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | McGinlay, Curle (og), Blake | | 18,980 | Win |
| D1 | 11/01/1997 | Portsmouth | 0-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Blake 2, Johansen | | 10,467 | Win |
| LCQF | 08/01/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-2 | Wimbledon | | | 16,968 | Loss |
| D1 | 01/01/1997 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Bradford City | Lee D, Sellars | | 16,192 | Win |
| D1 | 28/12/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Southend United | Sellars 2, McGinlay (pen) | | 16,357 | Win |
| D1 | 26/12/1996 | Grimsby Town | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Taggart, Blake | | 8,185 | Win |
| D1 | 22/12/1996 | Swindon Town | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Green, McGinlay | | 8,948 | Draw |
| D1 | 14/12/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Ipswich Town | Bergsson | | 13,314 | Loss |
| D1 | 08/12/1996 | West Bromwich Albion | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Frandsen, Fairclough | | 13,082 | Draw |
| D1 | 30/11/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-2 | Barnsley | Blake, Thompson A | | 16,852 | Draw |
| LC4 | 27/11/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 6-1 | Tottenham Hotspur | McGinlay 3 (1 pen), Taggart, Blake, Taylor S | | 18,621 | Win |
| D1 | 22/11/1996 | Sheffield United | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Blake | | 17,069 | Draw |
| D1 | 19/11/1996 | Oxford United | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 7,517 | Draw |
| D1 | 16/11/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-2 | Crystal Palace | Sheridan, McGinlay (pen) | | 16,892 | Draw |
| D1 | 13/11/1996 | Birmingham City | 3-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Sheridan | | 17,033 | Loss |
| D1 | 02/11/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Huddersfield Town | Thompson A, McGinlay | | 15,865 | Win |
| D1 | 29/10/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Reading | Sellars, McGinlay | | 12,677 | Win |
| D1 | 25/10/1996 | Barnsley | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay (pen), Thompson A | | 9,413 | Draw |
| LC3 | 22/10/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Chelsea | McGinlay, Blake | | 16,867 | Win |
| D1 | 19/10/1996 | Charlton Athletic | 3-3 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay 2 (1 pen), Blake | | 11,091 | Draw |
| D1 | 15/10/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Tranmere Rovers | Sellars | | 14,136 | Win |
| D1 | 12/10/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Oldham Athletic | Johansen, McGinlay 2 | | 14,813 | Win |
| D1 | 02/10/1996 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay 2 | | 26,540 | Win |
| D1 | 28/09/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Stoke City | Blake | | 16,195 | Draw |
| LC2L2 | 24/09/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Bristol City | McGinlay, Blake, Thompson A (aet) | | 6,367 | Win |
| D1 | 21/09/1996 | Bradford City | 2-4 | Bolton Wanderers | Thompson A, Blake 2, Frandsen | | 12,034 | Win |
| LC2L1 | 18/09/1996 | Bristol City | 0-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 6,351 | Draw |
| D1 | 14/09/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Portsmouth | Blake, Fairclough | | 14,248 | Win |
| D1 | 10/09/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 6-1 | Grimsby Town | Johansen 2, Blake, Fairclough, Lee D, Taylor S | | 12,448 | Win |
| D1 | 07/09/1996 | Southend United | 5-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Blake, McGinlay | | 4,475 | Loss |
| D1 | 01/09/1996 | Queens Park Rangers | 1-2 | Bolton Wanderers | McGinlay, Thompson A | | 11,225 | Win |
| D1 | 24/08/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Norwich City | Blake 2, Johansen | | 13,507 | Win |
| D1 | 20/08/1996 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Manchester City | Frandsen | | 18,257 | Win |
| D1 | 17/08/1996 | Port Vale | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Thompson A | | 10,057 | Draw |