Bolton triumph at Wembley to reach the Championship

Bolton Wanderers are officially back in the Championship. In a fiercely contested League One play-off final at Wembley, the Trotters secured a 4-1 victory over Stockport County, ending a seven-year exile from the second tier following their relegation in 2019.

The match was played in challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius. Bolton struck early when Ruben Rodrigues capitalized on an error by Stockport goalkeeper Corey Addai. Although Adama Sidibeh leveled the scores before half-time, Bolton regained control after the interval.

A mix-up involving the Stockport keeper led to a Kyle Wootton own goal, restoring Bolton's lead. Sam Dalby then extended the advantage with a spectacular scissor-kick. In stoppage time, Ruben Rodrigues converted a penalty—awarded after Josh Dacres-Cogley was sent off for pulling Ibrahima Sissoko’s hair—to seal the result.

For Bolton manager Steven Schumacher, who replaced Ian Evatt last year, this marks his second promotion to the Championship. The win provides a highlight for chairwoman Sharon Brittan, who began the club's reconstruction in 2019. Conversely, Stockport County missed out on a historic opportunity to return to the second division for the first time in 24 years.