Tinnion signed as a professional before a first-team home game on the pitch of St James' Park a few days after his eighteenth birthday in 1986.

He scored the last-gasp penalty that pinched a point at Elland Road on Grand National Day 1990 in a heated local derby against Leeds United.

Tinnion found himself top-goalscorer in all competitions across all four divisions by Christmas 1991 with 13 goals (most of which spectacular), but he picked up a career-threatening injury at Hartlepool on Boxing Day 1991; in front of a host of top-flight scouts so it was thought.

After his departure from Bristol City, Tinnion trained with Cheltenham Town, turning out for them in a reserve match,[4] and then joined Conference side Aldershot.

[5] Tinnion has since retired from playing in the summer of 2007[6] and now coaches youth football, running soccer schools both in Southern Spain and at The Imperial Ground in Bristol.