James Bolton - Stats, Rating & Scouting Report

Profile

Full nameJames William Bolton

PositionCentre-back

NationalityEngland

Age31

Date of birth13 Aug 1994

BirthplaceStone

Height183 cm

Shirt number#4

ClubFleetwood Town

More about J. Bolton →

Centre-back

Season stats

Full career & schedule →

20

Appearances

2

Goals

1

Assists

1663

Minutes

Domestic-league season · Fleetwood Town.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	A	Min	Match
League Two	20	2	1	1663	7.06

Career

Full career & schedule →

FA Trophy×2League One×2

Bolton's current-season form is down 53% on last season (Season 32→15), while his Rating eased 23→14. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 32).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Fleetwood Town · 15th	20	2	1	7.06	14	15
2024/25	Fleetwood Town · 14th	40	4	0	7.12	23	32
2023/24	ST Mirren · 5th	36	1	0	6.84	29	15
2022/23	Plymouth · 1st	10	1	0	6.75	33	3
2021/22	Plymouth · 7th	13	0	0	7.09	37	12

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 9 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Career

Full career & schedule →

Domestic career

Scout report

Experienced headBall-winning Central defender

J. Bolton is a 31-year-old central defender at Fleetwood Town, enjoying a standout season — 2 goals and 1 assists in 20 appearances, a Season grade of 15, top 61% of League Two centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 14.3, ranking 389th of 478 in the League Two. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option (40.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.06 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Bolton.

Judged on this season alone, Bolton graded 15 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 46th of 76 of the 76 centre-backs in the League Two, on 4 clean sheets and 4.059 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 32 → 15). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 14, 56th of 76 of the 76 centre-backs in the League Two. At 31 Bolton is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 1.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Holding levelBreakout: 2024/25Stepped up 2023/244 clubs

Current potential56th of 76 centre-backs · League Two Current season46th of 76 centre-backs · League Two46th-best centre-back in the League Two389th in the League Two · potential56th-highest potential centre-back in the League Two

14.3

Ratingi

56th of 76 centre-backs

14.5

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

40.2%

Minutes

rotation minutes

4.06

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Fleetwood Town finished 15th of 24 · a mid-table side

4.06

Def. / 90

26

Tackles

24

Interceptions

4

Clean sheets

4.06 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 20 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.16 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central defender.
Defensive volume. 4.06 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Game time. Only 40.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 14.3, Bolton carries the 56th-highest potential of the centre-backs in the League Two of 76. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.06 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %40.2%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.108

Assists / 900.054

Goal contribution / 900.162

Defensive actions / 904.059

Player flow

Goal involvements3

Shot conversion %33.3

Shot accuracy %35.3

Pass accuracy %77

Dribble success %100

Cards / 900.162

Foul involvement / 901.624

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~3), then tapers with age. At 31, Bolton sits on 1.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bolton's projected Rating — 14.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Shots on target6

Shots17

Passing

Assists1

Pass accuracy77%

Possession

Successful dribbles3

Dribble success100%

Fouls won15

Defending

Tackles26

Interceptions24

Blocks25

Fouls committed15

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

Free agent2026/27 – nowFree

Fleetwood Town2024/25 – 2026/27

ST Mirren2023/24 – 2024/25Free

Plymouth2021/22 – 2023/24

Portsmouth2019/20 – 2021/22Free

Shrewsbury2017/18 – 2019/20

Gateshead2016/17 – 2017/18Free

FC Halifax Town2014/15 – 2016/17Free

Macclesfield(back from loan)2013/14 – 2014/15

FC Halifax Town(on loan)2013/14 – 2013/14

Workington(on loan)2012/13 – 2013/14

FC Halifax Town(on loan)2012/13 – 2012/13

Macclesfield(back from loan)2012/13 – 2012/13

Workingtonuntil 2012/13

Transfer history

About J. Bolton

James William Bolton is a 31-year-old centre-back who plays for Fleetwood Town, born on August 13, 1994 in Stone, standing 183 cm tall. He is from England. Fleetwood Town currently sit 15th of 24 in the League Two.

This season

In the current season, J. Bolton has made 20 appearances with 2 goals and 1 assist across 1,663 minutes, averaging a 6.97 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 3 yellow cards.

When J. Bolton plays, Fleetwood Town's record this season is 8W-8D-4L — and his match ratings average 6.76 at home against 7.42 on the road.

Recent matches

May 2, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Milton Keynes Dons (74 minutes, 1 assist, 6.6 rating)
April 25, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Shrewsbury (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
April 18, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Chesterfield (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
April 11, 2026: 2-1 win away at Accrington ST (19 minutes, 6.6 rating)
November 22, 2025: 3-1 win at home vs Shrewsbury (90 minutes, 6 rating)
November 15, 2025: 1-1 draw at home vs Swindon Town (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
November 8, 2025: 1-2 loss away at Crawley Town (90 minutes, 1 goal, 7.9 rating)
October 25, 2025: 2-1 win at home vs Accrington ST (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
October 18, 2025: 1-1 draw away at Chesterfield (90 minutes, 7.3 rating)
October 11, 2025: 3-2 win at home vs Harrogate Town (90 minutes, 7 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Bolton at 14.3 with a Season form score of 14.5, ranking 389th of 478 centre-backs in the League Two. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the League One and the FA Trophy. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 14 recorded seasons, J. Bolton has totalled 387 club appearances with 25 goals and 3 assists for 10 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2015/16, with 45 appearances for FC Halifax Town.