Paul Musselwhite

Paul Musselwhite

Musselwhite playing for York City in 2012
Personal information
Full name Paul Stephen Musselwhite[1]
Date of birth (1968-12-22) 22 December 1968[1]
Place of birth Portsmouth, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Scunthorpe United (goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
0000–1986 Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1988 Portsmouth 0 (0)
1988–1992 Scunthorpe United 132 (0)
1992–2000 Port Vale 312 (0)
2000 Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)
2000–2004 Hull City 95 (0)
2004–2006 Scunthorpe United 74 (0)
2006 Eastleigh 8 (0)
2006–2007 Kettering Town 2 (0)
2007 Port Vale 0 (0)
2007–2008 Harrogate Town 8 (0)
2008–2009 Gateshead 57 (0)
2009–2011 Lincoln City 1 (0)
2011–2013 York City 3 (0)
Total 692 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Paul Stephen Musselwhite (born 22 December 1968) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and is the current goalkeeping coach at Scunthorpe United. He has made 692 appearances in the league and 815 appearances in all competitions.

He began his career with Portsmouth, before joining Scunthorpe United in March 1988. He played 132 league games for the club, as the "Iron" suffered numerous play-off defeats, before he was sold to Port Vale in July 1992 for £17,500. He spent the next eight years with the "Valiants", and played 312 league games in what one of the most successful periods in the club's history. He kept goal in the 1993 Football League Trophy Final victory and helped the club to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1993–94. In August 2000 he joined Sheffield Wednesday, before moving on to Hull City the next month. He helped the club win promotion out of the Third Division in 2003–04, before he returned to Scunthorpe in June 2004. He helped the "Iron" to win promotion out of League Two in 2004–05, before he dropped into the Conference South in May 2006 to sign with Eastleigh. He spent brief spells at Kettering Town, Port Vale, and Harrogate Town, before he kept goal for Gateshead as the club won promotion from the Northern Premier League Premier Division to the Conference Premier after two successive play-off successes. He then took up coaching with Lincoln City between 2009 and 2011, before switching to York City in June 2011. He was on the bench for York as they won the 2012 Conference Premier play-off Final.

Playing career

Early career

Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Musselwhite started his career at his hometown club, Portsmouth, as an apprentice in the club's youth system before signing a professional contract on 1 December 1986.[1] However, he did not make any appearances for the club in the first team and on 21 March 1988 he moved to Scunthorpe United on a free transfer.[1]

Scunthorpe United

Scunthorpe missed out on promotion from the Fourth Division at the end of the 1987–88 season. Just one point short of Bolton Wanderers in third place, the "Iron" were then defeated by Torquay United in the play-off semi-finals. Scunthorpe also moved from the Old Showground to Glanford Park, becoming the first Football League club to move to a new stadium in over thirty years.

They suffered the same fate in 1988–89, one point off third place Crewe Alexandra, again with superior goal difference to the team above them, they lost to Wrexham in the play-off semi-finals. The club fell away in 1989–90, finishing mid-table. They pushed for promotion in 1990–91, in an unusual season an eighth-place finish was enough to see them into the play-offs. However, for third time in four years they lost in the semi-final stage to a team who would go on to lose in the final. Blackpool suffering the heartbreak in 1991 to Torquay's benefit.

At the end of the 1991–92 season Scunthorpe might have considered themselves cursed. This time they beat Crewe Alexandra in the play-off semi-finals, they lost the final to Blackpool 4–3 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw. Over the past four seasons, Musselwhite had made over 160 appearances for the "Iron", 132 of which were in the league. On 30 July 1992 he did what his club failed to do and made it into the new Second Division (the league was restructured due to the creation of the Premier League), having been bought by John Rudge's Port Vale for a fee of £17,500.[1][2]

Port Vale

Signed to replace the veteran Mark Grew, who had left for Cardiff City, Musselwhite actually started the 1992–93 season as second choice behind Trevor Wood. However, on 5 September, Wood conceded a penalty at Vetch Field in an 'off the ball' incident with a Swansea player and was subsequently dropped in favour of Musselwhite. He made his Vale league debut in the next match, a 2–2 draw against Exeter City on 12 September and despite a nervy performance, he remained an ever present in the Vale side for the rest of the season. Unfortunately for his new club he seemed to carry the play-off curse with him from Glanford Park, finishing one point off Bolton, they lost in the play-off final 3–0 to West Bromwich Albion. Though they did have success at Wembley Stadium in the 1993 Football League Trophy Final, recording a 2–1 victory over Stockport County.

With Musselwhite between the sticks, Vale won promotion to the First Division in 1993–94, finishing in second place behind champions Reading. Both club and goalkeeper adapted well to the second tier, finishing ten points above the relegation zone in 1994–95. When they played away at Charlton Athletic on 29 April, he was rested to allow his understudy, Arjan van Heusden, to gain some first-team experience in an end of season fixture. The club finished comfortably in mid-table in 1995–96 and at 28, Musselwhite was approaching the peak of his goalkeeping prowess. He played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup Final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa. The club achieved their highest post-war position in 1996–97 – eighth in the second tier. Musselwhite made a total of 36 appearances that season, after missing out on the first six weeks.

He made 44 appearances in 1997–98, keeping a clean sheet against Arsenal in the FA Cup on 3 January. He made 40 appearances in 1998–99, missing most of November and all of December. In 1999–2000 the club suffered relegation, manager Brian Horton was unable to halt the decline at Vale Park. Musselwhite played 32 games and was sent off against Grimsby Town on 12 February 2000, 86 minutes into a 2–0 defeat at Blundell Park. He was given a free transfer at the end of the season, the club looking to cut their wage bill.

Hull City

After having trials with former club Scunthorpe, Darlington and Sheffield Wednesday, Musselwhite signed for Wednesday on a free transfer on 25 August.[1] However, he left less than a month later after joining Brian Little's Hull City of the Third Division on 19 September 2000.[1][3] He was the club's first choice keeper as the "Tigers" reached the play-offs, only to lose out to Leyton Orient at the semi-final stage, after a sixth-place finish in the 2000–01 season. He played just 21 games in 2001–02, making his first appearance of the season on 29 December in a 3–0 win at Kidderminster Harriers. First choice keeper from September to January in 2002–03, he played 22 games. On Boxing Day 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 he made nineteen appearances, all in the first half of the season. The club finished second, winning promotion to the new League One. At the end of the season he returned to Scunthorpe United after signing on 3 June 2004, 12 years since his departure from the club.[4]

Return to Scunthorpe

Scunthorpe were in the basement division, where Musselwhite had left them. They were runners-up in 2004–05, just three points off League Two title winners Yeovil Town. Musselwhite made a massive fifty appearances. The club finished in the midsection of League One in 2005–06, Musselwhite making 32 appearances having missed December and January. In May 2006 he signed for Conference South side Eastleigh,[5] but left shortly after as he was unable to sell his house in Scunthorpe.

Non-League spell

He spent part of the 2006–07 season with Conference North side Kettering Town. However, was a free agent by January 2007 when he received a phone call from his former teammate, the Port Vale manager Martin Foyle, inviting him back to the club as cover for long-term injury victim Mark Goodlad.[6]

In June 2007 he joined up with Harrogate Town of the Conference North. Here he was reunited with former Vale teammate Neil Aspin, saying "I played with Neil Aspin for seven years when I was first at Port Vale, and that was one of the main attractions of coming here. Neil is putting a good squad together, and hopefully with a few more additions we can challenge this season." Musselwhite left Harrogate in January 2008 after being offered a better contract with Ian Bogie's Gateshead, playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, immediately being made the number one goalkeeper for the newly promoted side, and making 29 appearances before the season's end.

The club won their second successive promotion in 2008–09, beating AFC Telford United 1–0 in the Conference North play-off final.[7] He left the club upon the season's conclusion, having already announced in February 2009 his move from player to coach at Lincoln.[8]

Coaching career

Following his release from Gateshead, Musselwhite became player-goalkeeping coach under Peter Jackson at League Two side Lincoln City.[9][10] He signed a new contract that would keep him at the club until 2011 on 1 April 2010.[11] On 29 September, Musselwhite was appointed assistant-caretaker manager to Scott Lindsey following Chris Sutton's resignation.[12] On 2 October, the 41-year-old took to the field in a 1–0 defeat at Southend United, following an injury to Joe Anyon.[13]

After a new contract offer from Lincoln was dependent on Joe Anyon leaving the club,[14] Musselwhite opted to sign for Conference Premier club York City as player-goalkeeping coach on 16 June 2011.[15] At the age of 43, Musselwhite kept a clean sheet on his debut for York in a 1–0 away win over Cambridge United on 17 April 2012.[16] He followed this up with another clean sheet away from home in a 1–0 victory at Braintree on 21 April, a result that ensured York's place in the play-offs.[17] He was an unused substitute in the 2012 Conference Premier play-off Final, as York came from behind to beat Luton Town 2–1 at Wembley Stadium.[18] Musselwhite left York on 4 March 2013, two days after Gary Mills was sacked as manager.[19]

He finished the 2012–13 season as goalkeeping coach at League One side Bury, before taking the same position at one of his former clubs, newly relegated League Two club Scunthorpe United, in June 2013.[20][21]

Career statistics

Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Portsmouth 1986–87[1] Second Division 0000000000
1987–88[1] First Division 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Scunthorpe United 1987–88[22] Fourth Division 0000000000
1988–89[23] Fourth Division 41010604[lower-alpha 1]0520
1989–90[24] Fourth Division 29000102[lower-alpha 2]0320
1990–91[25] Fourth Division 38040006[lower-alpha 3]0480
1991–92[26] Fourth Division 24020401[lower-alpha 2]0310
Total 1320701101301630
Port Vale 1992–93[27] Second Division 41040009[lower-alpha 4]0540
1993–94[28] Second Division 46050204[lower-alpha 2]0570
1994–95[29] First Division 4402040—500
1995–96[30] First Division 39060206[lower-alpha 5]0530
1996–97[31] First Division 3301020—360
1997–98[32] First Division 4102020—450
1998–99[33] First Division 3800020—400
1999–2000[34] First Division 3001010—320
Total 31202101501903670
Sheffield Wednesday 2000–01[35] First Division 0000000000
Hull City 2000–01[36] Third Division 37020003[lower-alpha 6]0420
2001–02[37] Third Division 20000001[lower-alpha 2]0210
2002–03[38] Third Division 20010001[lower-alpha 2]0220
2003–04[39] Third Division 180100000190
Total 9504000501040
Scunthorpe United 2004–05[40] League Two 460301000500
2005–06[41] League One 280202000320
Total 740503000820
Eastleigh 2006–07[42] Conference South 8000—0080
Kettering Town 2006–07[43] Conference North 2010—0030
Port Vale 2006–07[44] League One 0000000000
Harrogate Town 2007–08[45] Conference North 8030—2[lower-alpha 7]0130
Gateshead 2007–08[46] NPL Premier Division 22000—7[lower-alpha 8]0290
2008–09[47] Conference North 35030—4[lower-alpha 9]0420
Total 57030—110710
Lincoln City 2009–10[48] League Two 0000000000
2010–11[49] League Two 1000000010
Total 1000000010
York City 2011–12[50] Conference Premier 3000—0030
2012–13[51] League Two 0000000000
Total 3000000030
Career total 69204402905008150
  1. ↑ Two appearances in Associate Members' Cup, two in Fourth Division play-offs
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Appearance(s) in Associate Members' Cup/Football League Trophy
  3. ↑ Four appearances in Associate Members' Cup, two in Fourth Division play-offs
  4. ↑ Six appearances in Associate Members' Cup, three in Second Division play-offs
  5. ↑ Appearances in Anglo-Italian Cup
  6. ↑ One appearance in Football League Trophy, two in Third Division play-offs
  7. ↑ One appearance in Conference League Cup, one in FA Trophy
  8. ↑ Three appearances in Northern Premier League Challenge Cup, two in Durham Challenge Cup, two in Northern Premier League Premier Division play-offs
  9. ↑ One appearance in FA Trophy, three in Conference North play-offs

Honours

Port Vale

Hull City

Scunthorpe United

Gateshead

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2006). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2006–07. Mainstream Publishing. p. 292. ISBN 978-1-84596-111-4.
  2. ↑ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 210. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. ↑ "Little nets a keeper". BBC Sport. 20 September 2000. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Laws lands Tigers keeper". BBC Sport. 3 June 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Musselwhite signs for Eastleigh". BBC Sport. 23 May 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Port Vale sign keeper Musselwhite". BBC Sport. 3 January 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Gateshead 1–0 AFC Telford Utd". BBC Sport. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Musselwhite to hang up his gloves". BBC Sport. 13 February 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  9. ↑ Hutchinson, Gary (3 October 2008). "Paul Musselwhite – Goalkeeping Coach". Lincoln City Mad. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Sport Photos". BBC Lincolnshire. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Coach Paul Musselwhite signs new Lincoln City contract". BBC Sport. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Scott Lindsey Named Caretaker Boss". Lincoln City F.C. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "Southend 1–0 Lincoln City". BBC Sport. 2 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  14. ↑ "Paul Musselwhite ready to quit Lincoln City for York move". Lincolnshire Echo. Lincoln. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "City Sign New Goalkeeper". York City F.C. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  16. ↑ "Cambridge 0–1 York". BBC Sport. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  17. ↑ "Braintree 0–1 York". BBC Sport. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  18. ↑ Maiden, Phil (20 May 2012). "Luton 1–2 York". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  19. ↑ Flett, Dave (4 March 2013). "Nigel Worthington poised to take over in York City hot-seat". The Press. York. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  20. ↑ Renshaw, Alex (11 June 2013). "Musselwhite thrilled to return". Scunthorpe United F.C. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  21. ↑ Sumpter, Chris (1 June 2013). "Paul Musselwhite among contenders to become new Scunthorpe United coach". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  22. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1988). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1988–89. Queen Anne Press. pp. 318–484. ISBN 978-0-356-15880-8.
  23. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1989). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1989–90. Queen Anne Press. pp. 456–643. ISBN 978-0-356-17910-0.
  24. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. Queen Anne Press. pp. 476–672. ISBN 978-0-356-17911-7.
  25. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1991). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1991–92. Queen Anne Press. pp. 450–649. ISBN 978-0-356-19198-0.
  26. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1992). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1992–93. Headline Publishing. pp. 456–661. ISBN 978-0-7472-7905-1.
  27. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1993). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993–94. Headline Publishing. pp. 406–660. ISBN 978-0-7472-7895-5.
  28. ↑ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1994). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1994–95. Headline Publishing. pp. 400–663. ISBN 978-0-7472-7857-3.
  29. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1995). The 1995–96 Official P.F.A. Footballers Factfile. Random House. p. 252. ISBN 978-0-09-180854-9.
  30. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1996). The 1996–97 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-1-85291-571-1.
  31. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1997). The 1997–98 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 312. ISBN 978-1-85291-581-0.
  32. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1998). The 1998–99 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 347. ISBN 978-1-85291-588-9.
  33. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1999). The 1999–2000 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 346. ISBN 978-1-85291-607-7.
  34. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2000). The 2000–2001 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Queen Anne Press. p. 376. ISBN 978-1-85291-626-8.
  35. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2001). The 2001–2002 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. AFS. p. 378. ISBN 978-0-946531-34-9.
  36. ↑ Hugman (ed.). The 2001–2002 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. p. 354.
  37. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2002). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2002/2003. Queen Anne Press. p. 461. ISBN 978-1-85291-648-0.
  38. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2003). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004. Queen Anne Press. p. 477. ISBN 978-1-85291-651-0.
  39. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2004). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2004/2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 462. ISBN 978-1-85291-660-2.
  40. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2005). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2005/2006. Queen Anne Press. p. 469. ISBN 978-1-85291-662-6.
  41. ↑ Hugman (ed.). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2006–07. p. 468.
  42. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2007). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 308–309. ISBN 978-1-869833-57-2.
  43. ↑ Williams; Williams (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2008. pp. 230–231.
  44. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Mainstream Publishing. pp. 466–467. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
  45. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 226–227. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
  46. ↑ "Gateshead F.C. Season 2007/08". Unofficial Gateshead Football Club Statistics Database. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  47. ↑ "Gateshead FC 2008/09". Unofficial Gateshead Football Club Statistics Database. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  48. ↑ "Games played by Paul Musselwhite in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  49. ↑ "Games played by Paul Musselwhite in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  50. ↑ "Games played by Paul Musselwhite in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  51. ↑ "Games played by Paul Musselwhite in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  52. ↑ Kent, Jeff (1993). The Port Vale Record 1879–1993. Witan Books. p. 236. ISBN 0-9508981-9-8.
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