Bolton Wanderers edge past Bradford to reach League One play-off final in 2026

Bolton Wanderers secured a place in the League One play-off final by beating Bradford City over two legs, setting up a clash with Stockport County.

Season opener sets stage Stockport County launched their 2025-26 season with a 2-0 victory at home against Bolton Wanderers. The same fixture now closes their campaigns as both teams meet in the League One play-off final, each chasing a spot in the Championship. Recent seasons saw both clubs fall short of promotion by narrow margins. Bolton reached this stage by overcoming Bradford City in a two-legged tie, but they could not defeat Stockport during the regular season. ## Tight battles define rivalry Following their opening-day loss at Edgeley Park, Bolton managed only a 2-2 draw against Stockport at home last month. The Hatters claimed bragging rights for this season’s encounters and will bring that momentum to Wembley. Bolton manager Steven Schumacher spoke to a local outlet about the upcoming clash, saying: 'Every time we’ve played them it’s close and always tight. They’ve got some good players but we’re looking forward to it.' He added, 'We know what’s at stake and we have to be prepared as best we possibly can.' ## Simons delivers late heroics Xavier Simons scored the goal that sealed Bolton’s second-leg win over Bradford at Valley Parade on Thursday. The 23-year-old, who has netted five senior career goals, offered a blunt assessment of his side’s prospects. 'It’s not easy,' he said. 'We know when we’re at it, we are a very dangerous team, a team that can win games and that’s what we’re going to do.' ## Manager praises resilient forward Schumacher highlighted Simons’ professionalism after his Wembley-clinching strike. 'I couldn’t think of anyone better to score the goal to take us to Wembley. It’s been tough in the second half of the season for Xav,' he said. 'He’s found himself sometimes out of starting XIs or matchday squads but he’s a model pro, he’s done absolutely everything properly all the time, every single day. For him to come on and score the goal and take us to Wembley, I’m delighted for him.' ## Simons reflects on journey and goals Simons, who has scored just five senior goals in his career, called his latest strike one of the most significant yet. 'This is definitely up there as one of the most important goals so far,' he said. 'I’ve been unfortunate to miss out on quite a bit of game time. But I’ve stuck at it and stayed true to myself and trained properly every day.' He continued, 'I’m here for the team, for this football club and not for myself. We set out a goal at the start of the season and we’re well on track. Nothing’s been given to me in football terms and I’ve had to work hard for everything. It’s nice for the rewards to pay off but the job’s not done yet.' ## Bolton’s rocky path to Wembley In 2019 Bolton suffered not only relegation from the Championship but faced an uncertain future. A takeover arrived that summer, yet the disruption of an interrupted season led to a second straight drop in a Covid-hit campaign. Ian Evatt guided them back to League One and nearly secured automatic promotion to the Championship in 2024. When the play-off final beckoned, many expected a swift return to the second tier, especially given Bolton’s reputation as a play-off specialist. Twice before they had won promotion to the Premier League via dramatic end-of-season showdowns. ## 2024 final ends in disappointment That 2024 Wembley outing ended in heartbreak for Bolton, as a tired-looking side lost to Oxford United. The unfancied visitors dominated, scored twice, and earned their own promotion to the Championship. Fast forward two years and Oxford now face a return to League One, while Bolton eye a chance to reverse fortunes and claim a spot in the second tier. Simons’ strike at Valley Parade moved that ambition one step closer.