In a game where manager Dougie Freedman fielded two different outfield teams either side of half-time, Gambian trialist Modou Barrow made an appearance from the bench, being brought on for academy player Georg Iliev.
Mjällby responded well, however, with first half goals from Mattias Håkansson, Kristian Haynes and Kwame Bonsu, handing Bolton their first loss of pre-season.
The home side opened the scoring in the first half through Chris Holroyd but Bolton equalised through young substitute Zach Clough nine minutes from time.
[4] In their final game of pre-season, the home friendly against Vitesse Arnhem, Bolton fell behind to a Marko Vejinović free-kick and could not muster a response, losing the first fixture at their renamed stadium.
On 20 May, Bolton announced their annual pre-season fixture against Chorley in the Harold Taylor Memorial Trophy would take place on 26 July.
This announcement was followed by a Bolton XI's finalised pre-season schedule with games against Bamber Bridge, Hyde, Melbourne Heart, AFC Fylde and Wrexham also taking place.
During pre-season ex-Bristol City defender Liam Fontaine was on trial for the club,[8] playing in matches against AFC Fylde and Wrexham.
On 6 August it was revealed that Fontaine had discontinued training with the club at the start of that week, after plans for a behind-closed-doors friendly against Udinese were shelved.
David Wheater put Bolton back in front but captain Jay Spearing brought down Assombalonga in the box, who picked himself up to draw Forest level again.
Anthony Wordsworth put Rotherham in front in the first half but Joe Mason scored two to bring Bolton ahead with ten minutes remaining on the clock.
Two minutes later, Jordan Bowery equalised for the Millers but Mason scored his first career hat-trick and the club's first since Fredi Bobic put in three against Ipswich Town in 2002, to hand Bolton their first win of the new season.
The loss sparked mass protests from the crowd during the game, with fans chanting for both manager Dougie Freedman and chairman Phil Gartside to leave their posts.
Initially, the club indicated that Freedman would remain in his position for the match against Bournemouth at the weekend, as they confirmed he would be taking his weekly press conference on Friday 3 October.
[14] Player-coach Andy Hughes and goalkeeping coach Lee Turner were confirmed as caretaker managers for the game against the Cherries by the club's website the following day.
Nine days later, during the international break, former Celtic manager Neil Lennon was handed the job of moving Bolton off the bottom of the table.
Matt Mills headed in from a corner to give Bolton a lead they managed to hang on to despite Craig Davies missing a penalty while striker Lee Novak was in goal, having replaced the sent off Darren Randolph.
Max Clayton scored his first for the club after latching on to Lee Chung-yong's through ball before Craig Davies headed in from Liam Feeney's looped cross to make it two.
Six minutes later, Chung-yong added to his earlier assist with a goal from the penalty spot; Leon Barnett having been adjudged to have brought down Matt Mills in the box.
Bolton would make it three clean sheets in a row the following week, defeating Millwall at The Den from a Darren Pratley goal in the second half.
On Boxing Day Bolton faced local rivals Blackburn Rovers at the Macron, playing in front of a home crowd of over 20,000 for the first time in nearly three years.
After the 4th round of the FA Cup, Bolton went to Rotherham United and were 4–0 down after fifty seven minutes, Ben Pringle, Conor Sammon and Paul Green scoring in the first half, before Matt Derbyshire added a fourth.
Source: BBC Sport Bolton entered the FA Cup at the Third Round stage with the other Championship clubs, as well as those from the Premier League.
On the same day the club confirmed that academy players Sam Bailey, Saul Hamer, Jordan Hendrie, James Kelly, Elliot Newby and Guillermo Torres would not have their contracts extended.
Following Neil Danns' example, Liam Trotter would join the club on 1 July, signing a three-year deal, leaving Millwall after four years of service.
On 1 July, as well as confirming the arrivals of the six previously announced signings, Bolton revealed that André Moritz and Arran Lee-Barrett would leave the club following the expiration of their contracts.
[20] The following day, on 2 July, Bolton announced the signing of Crystal Palace left-back Dean Moxey, with whom Freedman had previously worked during his time with the Eagles.
Two days later, striker Marvin Sordell left Bolton to join near neighbours Burnley in the Premier League, rejoining his former manager at Watford, Sean Dyche.
Shortly after, experienced utility man Andy Hughes joined the club as a professional development coach, while also be registered as a member of the playing staff.
Former Plymouth man Joe Mason rejoined the club on 11 August, signing on for another loan spell until the end of the 2014–15 season from Cardiff City, with whom he had recently agreed a new contract.
A day later, Paddy Kenny released by Leeds United following rumours Massimo Cellino had dropped him because he considers the 'keeper's birth date to be unlucky.