| AMCF | 24/05/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-3 | Bristol City | (played at Wembley Stadium) | | 54,502 | Loss |
| AMCNFL2 | 09/05/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Wigan Athletic | Oghani, Caldwell | Highlights | 12,120 | Win |
| AMCNFL1 | 06/05/1986 | Wigan Athletic | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Caldwell | | 6,975 | Win |
| D3 | 03/05/1986 | Chesterfield | 3-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 3,183 | Loss |
| AMCNSF | 01/05/1986 | Darlington | 0-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Oghani, Caldwell, Hartford | | 3,771 | Win |
| D3 | 26/04/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-4 | Bristol City | | | 4,493 | Loss |
| D3 | 24/04/1986 | Darlington | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Oghani | | 1,870 | Win |
| D3 | 22/04/1986 | Plymouth Argyle | 4-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Sutton | | 12,183 | Loss |
| D3 | 19/04/1986 | Derby County | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Hartford | | 12,232 | Loss |
| D3 | 12/04/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Notts County | Phillips J | | 4,688 | Win |
| D3 | 31/03/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-3 | Blackpool | Thompson S | | 7,878 | Loss |
| D3 | 29/03/1986 | Wigan Athletic | 1-3 | Bolton Wanderers | Hartford, Gavin, Caldwell | | 8,009 | Win |
| D3 | 25/03/1986 | Lincoln City | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Neal | Highlights | 2,329 | Draw |
| D3 | 22/03/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 5-0 | Cardiff City | Joyce W G, Came, Neal, Oghani, Caldwell | | 4,114 | Win |
| D3 | 18/03/1986 | Bournemouth | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Oghani | | 2,063 | Loss |
| D3 | 14/03/1986 | Brentford | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Sutton | | 3,284 | Draw |
| AMCNQF | 11/03/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Tranmere Rovers | Caldwell, Oghani | | 3,865 | Win |
| D3 | 08/03/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Reading | Caldwell (pen), Joyce W G | | 4,903 | Win |
| D3 | 04/03/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | York City | Hartford | | 3,589 | Draw |
| D3 | 25/02/1986 | Bury | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Caldwell (pen) | | 6,006 | Loss |
| D3 | 22/02/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-0 | Newport County | Caldwell 2, Oghani, Ripley | | 4,063 | Win |
| D3 | 08/02/1986 | Swansea City | 3-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Hartford | | 4,242 | Loss |
| D3 | 04/02/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-2 | Bristol Rovers | | | 3,672 | Loss |
| D3 | 01/02/1986 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Rudge, Oghani | | 3,110 | Win |
| AMCQ | 28/01/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Crewe Alexandra | Oghani | | 2,428 | Win |
| D3 | 25/01/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Walsall | Caldwell, Bell G, Oghani | | 4,088 | Win |
| AMCQ | 20/01/1986 | Stockport County | 2-2 | Bolton Wanderers | Came, Caldwell | | 1,874 | Draw |
| D3 | 18/01/1986 | Rotherham United | 4-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 3,821 | Loss |
| D3 | 11/01/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-1 | Gillingham | | | 5,232 | Loss |
| D3 | 01/01/1986 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Wigan Athletic | Thompson S (pen) | | 9,252 | Loss |
| D3 | 26/12/1985 | Blackpool | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Cross | | 9,473 | Draw |
| D3 | 21/12/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-0 | Doncaster Rovers | Cross 2 | | 4,546 | Win |
| D3 | 14/12/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 2-1 | Chesterfield | Thompson S, Hartford | | 3,621 | Win |
| D3 | 30/11/1985 | Bristol City | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 6,253 | Loss |
| D3 | 23/11/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-1 | Derby County | | | 5,887 | Loss |
| FAC1 | 16/11/1985 | Wrexham | 3-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Thompson S (pen) | | 2,738 | Loss |
| D3 | 09/11/1985 | Notts County | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 4,497 | Loss |
| D3 | 05/11/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-3 | Darlington | | | 2,902 | Loss |
| D3 | 02/11/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-0 | Bournemouth | Thompson S | | 3,800 | Win |
| D3 | 26/10/1985 | Cardiff City | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Bell G | | 2,502 | Win |
| D3 | 22/10/1985 | Bristol Rovers | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Caldwell | | 4,308 | Loss |
| D3 | 19/10/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Swansea City | Thompson S (pen) | | 3,558 | Draw |
| D3 | 12/10/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-2 | Brentford | Joyce W G | | 4,106 | Loss |
| LC2L2 | 08/10/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-3 | Nottingham Forest | | | 4,010 | Loss |
| D3 | 05/10/1985 | Reading | 1-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 8,000 | Loss |
| D3 | 01/10/1985 | York City | 3-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 4,680 | Loss |
| D3 | 28/09/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 3-1 | Plymouth Argyle | Joyce W G, Caldwell, Rudge | | 4,270 | Win |
| LC2L1 | 25/09/1985 | Nottingham Forest | 4-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 10,530 | Loss |
| D3 | 21/09/1985 | Newport County | 0-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Oghani | | 2,212 | Win |
| D3 | 17/09/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Lincoln City | Thompson S | | 3,928 | Draw |
| D3 | 14/09/1985 | Walsall | 2-0 | Bolton Wanderers | | | 4,532 | Loss |
| D3 | 07/09/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-1 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Thompson S 2 (1 pen), Cross 2 | | 4,986 | Win |
| LC1L2 | 03/09/1985 | Stockport County | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Caldwell (played at Burnden Park) | | 2,573 | Draw |
| D3 | 31/08/1985 | Gillingham | 2-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Cross | | 2,773 | Loss |
| D3 | 26/08/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-4 | Bury | Cross | | 8,772 | Loss |
| D3 | 24/08/1985 | Doncaster Rovers | 1-1 | Bolton Wanderers | Cross | | 3,414 | Draw |
| LC1L1 | 20/08/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 4-1 | Stockport County | Hartford, Cross 2, Bell G | | 3,311 | Win |
| D3 | 17/08/1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 1-1 | Rotherham United | Caldwell | | 5,129 | Draw |