appearances that season, after missing out on the first six weeks. He made 45 appearances in 1997–98, keeping a clean sheet against Arsenal in the FA Cup on 3 January 1998. He made 40 appearances in 1998–99, missing most of November and all of December. In 1999–2000, Vale were relegated in 23rd place, with manager Brian Horton unable to halt the decline at Vale Park. Musselwhite played 32 matches and was sent off against Grimsby Town on 12 February 2000, 86 minutes into a 2–0 away defeat. He was given a free transfer at the end of the season, the club looking to cut their wage bill. As of 2020, no Port Vale goalkeeper has bettered his tally of 367 league and cup appearances. Hull City After having trials with former club Scunthorpe, Darlington and Sheffield Wednesday, Musselwhite signed for Wednesday on 25 August 2000 as cover for the suspended Kevin Pressman. However, he left less than a month later after joining Brian Little's Hull City of the Third Division on 19 September 2000. He was the club's first-choice goalkeeper as Hull reached the play-offs, only to lose to Leyton Orient in the semi-final, after a sixth-place finish 2000–01. He played in just 21 matches in 2001–02, making his first appearance of the season on 29 December 2001 in a 3–0 win away to Kidderminster Harriers. First-choice goalkeeper from September to January in 2002–03, he played 22 matches. On 26 December 2002, he was in goal for the club's first competitive fixture at the KC Stadium, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 win over Hartlepool United. In 2003–04, Musselwhite made 19 appearances, all in the first half of the season. Hull finished second, winning promotion to the new League One. Return to Scunthorpe United Musselwhite returned to Scunthorpe United after signing on 3 June 2004, 12 years since his departure from the club. Scunthorpe were promoted in 2004–05 as runners-up, just three points off League Two title winners Yeovil Town. Musselwhite made 50 appearances. The club finished 12th in League One in 2005–06, Musselwhite making 32 appearances having missed December and January. In May 2006, he signed for Conference South club Eastleigh, but left in September having made nine appearances. Non-League In November 2006, Musselwhite signed for Conference North club Kettering Town, but was released later that month after Mark Osborn returned from suspension. In January 2007, Musselwhite received