Three years ago the Wanderers surprised the footballing world by thumping Leicester City 5-0 on their return to the Premiership but since then things have not been as rosy in the opening games of the season.
The two seasons following on from that emphatic win at Filbert Street saw four goal thumpings by Fulham in 2002 and local rivals Manchester United last season. Bolton will be hoping that the number four doesn't feature during this weekend against Charlton Athletic, well not in the opposition column anyway!!.
Draws have featured prominently for the Wanderers during the last twenty years of the opening match with no fewer than nine games ending all square since 1984 - the last being a derby day draw with Burnley four years ago.
Bolton have never beaten Charlton at home in the Premiership with two out of the last three meetings at the Reebok Stadium ending in a goalless draw. What are the odds on yet another draw or maybe even a win to break that four goal hoodoo.
OPENING DAY RESULTS IN 20 YEARS (Bolton Scorer(s) In Brackets)
25/08/1984 Bolton Wanderers 0 Bristol Rovers 1
17/08/1985 Bolton Wanderers 1 Rotherham United 1 (Tony Caldwell)
23/08/1986 Bolton Wanderers 1 Swindon Town 2 (George Oghani)
15/08/1987 Bolton Wanderers 1 Crewe Alexandra 1 (Gary Henshaw)
27/08/1988 Southend United 2 Bolton Wanderers 0
19/08/1989 Cardiff City 0 Bolton Wanderers 2 (Tony Philliskirk, Julian Darby)
25/08/1990 Shrewsbury Town 0 Bolton Wanderers 1 (Stuart Storer)
17/08/1991 Bolton Wanderers 1 Huddersfield Town 1 (Tony Philliskirk)
15/08/1992 Bolton Wanderers 2 Huddersfield Town 0 (Andy Walker, Julian Darby)
14/08/1993 Grimsby Town 0 Bolton Wanderers 0
13/08/1994 Grimsby Town 3 Bolton Wanderers 3 (Mixu Paatelainen 2, John McGinlay)
19/08/1995 Wimbledon 3 Bolton Wanderers 2 (Alan Thompson, Fabian De Freitas)
17/08/1996 Port Vale 1 Bolton Wanderers 1 (Alan Thompson)
09/08/1997 Southampton 0 Bolton Wanderers 1 (Nathan Blake)
08/08/1998 Crystal Palace 2 Bolton Wanderers 2 (Dean Holdsworth, Arnar Gunnlaugsson)
07/08/1999 Tranmere Rovers 0 Bolton Wanderers 0
12/08/2000 Bolton Wanderers 1 Burnley 1 (Per Frandsen)
18/08/2001 Leicester City 0 Bolton Wanderers 5 (Kevin Nolan 2, Michael Ricketts, Per Frandsen 2)
17/08/2002 Fulham 4 Bolton Wanderers 1 (Michael Ricketts)
16/08/2003 Manchester United 4 Bolton Wanderers 0