James Bolton

Bolton's current-season form is down 53% on last season (Season 32→15), while his Rating eased 23→12. 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	12	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.

Scout report

Experienced headBall-winning Central defender

J. Bolton is a 32-year-old central defender at Fleetwood Town, enjoying a standout season — 2 goals and 1 assists in 20 appearances, a Season grade of 15. On long-term scout potential he's rated 12.3. 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.

On the season, Bolton graded 15 for current form (age-blind), 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 12. At 32 Bolton is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.9 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

12.3

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

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

Apps

4.06

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

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 32, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 12.3 overall — below regular-starter level. 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 (0.8× 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

Cards / 900.162

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 (~9), then tapers with age. At 32, Bolton sits on 0.9, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bolton's projected Rating — 12.3 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 Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals2

Passing

Assists1

Defending

Tackles26

Interceptions24

Blocks25

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

Free agentJun 2026 – nowFree

Fleetwood TownJul 2024 – Jun 2026

ST MirrenJul 2023 – Jul 2024Free

PlymouthJul 2021 – Jul 2023

PortsmouthJul 2019 – Jul 2021Free

ShrewsburyJul 2017 – Jul 2019

GGatesheaduntil Jul 2017

About J. Bolton

James William Bolton is a 31-year-old centre-back who plays for Bolton, born on August 13, 1994 in Stone, standing 183 cm tall. He is from England. Bolton currently sit 8th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, J. Bolton has made 20 appearances with 2 goals and 1 assist across 1,663 minutes, with 3 yellow cards.

J. Bolton's next match is on August 29, 2026, when Bolton face Lincoln at home in the Championship.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Bolton at 12.3 with a Season form score of 14.5. 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.

J. Bolton's career has also included time at Fleetwood Town, ST Mirren, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Shrewsbury and GGateshead.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Career

Scout report

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

Strengths

Watch points