Bolton Wanderers are urging fans to act quickly if they want to get a seat for the opening day game against Preston North End. It is understood that by midweek there could be only single-seat options at the Toughsheet Community Stadium for fans who want to watch the club’s first game in the Championship since 2019. Preston North End have impressively sold out their allocation of 4,400 tickets for the all-Lancashire clash on Saturday lunchtime, and it appears certain that the gate will be Bolton’s biggest since dropping out of the Premier League in 2012. Segregation and policing rules mean that it is unlikely that there will be an official ‘sell-out’ of the stadium’s full capacity of just over 28,000. The record of 28,353 set against Leicester City in December 2003 will remain untroubled. But Wanderers are on course to better the 26,473 that watched the 0-0 draw against Bradford City in November 2025, which was the largest crowd in 13 years. One note of caution for Steven Schumacher’s side, however, is that of the top 10 attendances since relegation from the top flight, Wanderers have won just two, drawing four, and losing four. According to European Football Statistics, last season’s average attendance of 21,692 was the highest since 2011/12 (23,670) and actually exceeded one Premier League season (2007/08). It is also the highest average gate Bolton have recorded over a whole season outside the top flight since Ian Greaves took the club into the First Division in 1978/79 (23,200). League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 5th in League One, 75 pts, 19W-18D-9L from 46 games, recent form LDDWL. Goals this season: 70 scored, 52 conceded (+18 goal difference). Title race: 28 points behind leaders Lincoln.