Tennant started his career as centre-forward at amateur side Washington Colliery. He was on the books of second division Stoke City for four years only making one appearance before being released on a free transfer to Torquay United. He was an ever-present as a right-back in his only campaign at Torquay in the Third Division. Tennant was purchased by Liverpool and made his debut for the club in the autumn of the 1933/34 season, making seven consecutive first division appearances before missing the next 16 matches and then being brought back for another short run of six games in succession. Ernie Blenkinsop started 1934/35 as first-choice left-back and played in the first 16 League fixtures before Tennant replaced him for the remaining 26 games of the season. It must have come as a surprise when he left the club having won a regular spot in the team, leaving 33-year-old Blenkinsop to make the position his own in the 1935/36 season. The speedy Tennant helped consolidate newcomers Bolton in the First Division in the 1935/36 season and made a total of 105 appearances for the Trotters before the outbreak of World War II. Tennant was later a guest player for Liverpool during the war.