Mike Addy was one of a host of promising players recruited to the Leeds United youth scheme in the early 1960s, joining as an apprentice and turning professional in May 1962, by which time he had already made his senior debut. Though his normal position was half-back, England youth international Addy was chosen to stand in at centre-forward for a League Cup-tie against Rotherham United at Elland Road on 15 January 1962 with regular front man Billy McAdams cup-tied after a transfer from Bolton. Leeds lost the game 2-1.

Addy was a regular in the Central League side during 1962/63; it was the youngest ever fielded by United at the time as Don Revie brought through some of his outstanding talent. At the start of the season, Gary Sprake, Paul Reaney, Paul Madeley, Norman Hunter, Rod Johnson, Peter Lorimer and Terry Cooper were all alongside Addy in the team, though they would soon graduate to the senior ranks.

United's league game against Swansea on 8 September is legendary, with Revie bringing Sprake, Reaney and Hunter into the side to stay for the next decade; it was just the start of the revolution, and Addy was one of a number of youngsters given an opportunity by the manager. Addy made his league bow in his favoured right-half position on 22 September at Luton as deputy for the veteran Eric Smith, who had broken his leg a week earlier against Chelsea. United lost a two-goal lead against the Hatters and had to settle for a draw; Addy did well, according to Phil Brown in the Yorkshire Evening Post: he 'was off to a strong enough debut', being 'useful in intercepting and stopping pressure from the left flank, which Luton kept busy'.

Addy retained his place for a League Cup-tie against Crystal Palace, a 2-1 victory, but was dropped following the 1-1 draw at home to Southampton on 29 September, when Richard Ulyatt described him as 'a fast, hard-tackling wing-half' in the Yorkshire Post. John Charles was tried temporarily at right-half the following week before the role was taken up more permanently by Willie Bell.

Addy did not feature again in the United senior team, though he had done enough to be retained at the end of the season. With Leeds promoted to the First Division in 1964, however, Addy was deemed surplus to requirements and allowed to join Third Division Barnsley in June.

He became a first-team regular at Oakwell, scoring five goals in 51 league appearances, with three more games in the FA and League Cups. The Tykes were relegated to the Division Four in 1965 and struggled for the next couple of seasons. Addy joined Corby Town on a free transfer in 1967 and later moved on to Kettering Town, where he ended his playing days.

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