Stockport vs Bolton Prediction: Hatters to start off with a win

After reaching the League 1 play-offs last season following promotion from League 2, many feel Stockport County have a great shot at going up in 2025/26. The Hatters begin their campaign with a home clash against fellow promotion hopefuls Bolton Wanderers on Sunday (12:00 BST, Sky Sports Football) at Edgeley Park.

Below you will find my Stockport vs Bolton predictions, aided by the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Stockport have been busy in the transfer market, with the most notable addition being attacker Malik Mothersille, who scored 16 goals in 57 appearances for Peterborough United last season, for a club-record fee.

Finland defender Arttu Hoskonen - who found the net against England last year - penned a two-year deal with Stockport, while forward Nathan Lowe arrived on a season-long loan from Stoke City, having previously impressed at Walsall. The Hatters fought off interest from a lot of interested clubs for the teenager's services.

Corey O'Keeffe (Barnsley) and Tayo Edun (Peterborough) both made their first County appearances in a recent friendly defeat to Hull City, and the latter should overcome a knock to feature against Bolton.

Oli Norwood and Lewis Bate are fixtures in Dave Challinor's midfield, and the former will be looked to for guidance by the younger heads in the team.

Bolton boss Steven Schumacher is expected to start the campaign with a 4-2-3-1 system, and he has had to deal with a lot of changes in the squad over the summer.

Ricardo Santos, Gethin Jones and Nathan Baxter all feature on a long list of players who have left the Trotters, while Xavier Simons, Sam Dalby and Chelsea goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe have moved to the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

Dalby is injured (hamstring) so will miss out the opening fixture, so expect Mason Burstow - on loan from Hull City - to feature in attack. Width comes in the form of Barbados international Thierry Gale and Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Stockport vs Bolton Odds

Stockport won 16 of their 23 home games last season in League 1 and they are 10/11, which has an implied probability of 52.4%, to collect the three points on Sunday.

The Hatters drew 26% (12/46) of their league games last term and the stalemate is marketed at 5/2 on this occasion.

Bolton were ninth in the away table in 2024/25, managing nine wins from 23. They are 3/1 to claim the victory at Edgeley Park.

Four of Stockport's past five competitive fixtures have produced at least three goals, with over 2.5 goals available at 10/11.

Stockport and both teams to score @ 11/4

I think Stockport have a real shot at promotion this year. Challinor's men impressed me last year as a newly-promoted side and now that there isn't a free-spending Birmingham City to deal with this year, the race for the top-two should be wide open.

The Hatters have conducted some impressive business, and I reckon there will be more to come in the final weeks of the transfer window. Challinor has a good squad at his disposal already, and I believe it will be more than enough to get them off to a winning start on Sunday.

It's an interesting battle as they are facing a Bolton side hoping to be in the promotion picture themselves, managed by someone who won this league with Plymouth Argyle in 2023.

There is attacking talent to admire on both teams but I think the home advantage, and the momentum from last season should help Stockport to victory here. I've boosted the odds by adding both teams to score, though, as this was a successful bet in four of the Hatters' previous five league contests.

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