Born in Coalville, Cheney started with Coalville Town before becoming a pro with City in November 1941 and spending seven years at the club. He made just two Football League appearances on record though, with the vast majority of his performances coming in the wartime period. The forward had a superb goals-to-games ratio, netting 22 in 42 wartime games.

Cheney made his City debut as a 16-year-old and was top-scorer in the 1941-42 campaign before being called-up for active service in Singapore. He featured only twice in peacetime football before being part of City's famous five-man transfer to Watford, going out on-loan to the Hornets and bagging five times in his 18-game period. He didn't sign permanently with Watford but he did make his next move south, to Bournemouth.

He remained in the Dorset area after his retirement, bringing his football career to an end at Dorchester Town, and was involved in the timber and pottery industries.