For Bolton Wanderers, James Trafford’s proudest moment still belongs to them

James Trafford has told Bolton Wanderers fans why their club remains closest to his heart. Speaking after completing a club-record move to Leeds United in 2026, the 23-year-old goalkeeper described Bolton’s EFL Trophy triumph in 2022/23 as his proudest football memory.

The goalkeeper’s words came during an interview with LUTV on YouTube, where he was asked to name his favourite career moment. Trafford replied: “Winning the Papa John’s with Bolton.”

That season-long loan spell at Bolton in League One proved to be the springboard for Trafford’s career. His string of outstanding performances helped the Trotters reach the League One play-offs and earned him widespread acclaim as one of the Football League’s brightest young talents.

Trafford’s displays in a Bolton shirt laid the foundations for his subsequent move to Burnley, where he continued his development and delivered an outstanding Championship campaign. Those performances preceded a return to Manchester City last summer before this week’s move to Leeds United.

Trafford has already collected multiple individual accolades, including Team of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards. He won both with Bolton in 2022/23, despite the disappointment of a play-off defeat to Barnsley that year.

The EFL Trophy win provided a rare highlight for Bolton that season. They thumped Plymouth Argyle 4-0 in the final, with Trafford starting the show and also featuring in three of the other four games en route to victory.

His reputation was forged at youth level with England’s Under-21s, where he starred in their 2023 European Championship triumph without conceding a single goal. Trafford famously saved a last-minute penalty in the final to secure the trophy.

Penalty-saving has since become a hallmark of his game. He denied Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor twice in the same Championship match and saved six penalties in just 17 appearances for Manchester City last season. Those contributions came as Pep Guardiola’s side lifted both the FA Cup and League Cup.

Trafford’s move to Leeds now offers him the chance to become an undisputed first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League. The club-record switch could provide the platform to eventually inherit England’s number one jersey.

Despite those achievements—U-21 Euros glory, two major domestic trophies, third place at the World Cup with England, and a 100-point season with Burnley—Trafford has suggested that Bolton’s EFL Trophy remains the memory that matters most to him.

The goalkeeper’s development has been steady and impressive. His Championship campaign at Burnley during their title battle with Leeds showcased just how complete his game had become, with elite distribution, elite penalty-saving ability, and improving shot-stopping and positioning.

One area that still requires refinement is his command of the penalty area, a facet that was questioned during his time at Bolton and Burnley. That aspect may remain under scrutiny in the Premier League, though it is a relatively minor weakness in an otherwise exceptional all-round profile for his age.

For Bolton Wanderers supporters, Trafford’s comments will resonate. The former loanee’s high-profile move to Leeds is hard to miss, and Trotters fans will be keen to see how he performs as he attempts to establish himself as a Premier League number one.