Mike Tiddy was born in 1929 in Cadgwith, Cornwall. Mike, the older of two footballing brothers joined Torquay United at the end of the Second World War but was forced to wait two years to play for the club while he finished his National Service. He left Torquay in November 1950 to sign for Cardiff City and he became a virtual ever-present in the Cardiff line-up for the next five years, and was one of the club’s most popular players during the 1950s before moving to Arsenal in 1955.
Mike made his Arsenal debut against Sunderland on 24 September 1955 but most of his time in London was spent in the treatment room as he suffered from numerous injuries, which forced him to undergo a cartilage operation. By the time he was fully fit, in 1957-58, he had to share the left wing position and only played 12 matches.
Having played fifty-two games and scoring eight goals for Arsenal in three seasons, he was allowed to join Brighton & Hove Albion in October 1958 where he made 146 appearances from 1958 to 1962 scoring 12 goals.
He was appointed player-manager of Penzance in 1962 at the age of 33.