Career
Tikhonov is well known as Spartak Moscow and Russia national football team player. Tikhonov was spotted by the then-Spartak manager Oleg Romantsev, while playing for Titan Reutov, in a game against Spartak Moscow reserves. Tikhonov quickly broke into the starting line-up at his new club, becoming a key player at Spartak soon afterwards.
He then had a short loan spell in Israel, before signing a contract with Krylia Sovetov Samara.
In February 2001, Tikhonov was training with Southampton, even featuring in one friendly for the club, but no deal was reached, mainly because the player already had a running one-year contract with Krylia Sovetov at the time. An icon among Spartak fans, Tikhonov is often viewed as an underachiever on the international stage.
He made his international debut in 1996, in a friendly against Malta. In early 2011, he announced that he would be returning to Spartak Moscow but it was initially unconfirmed whether the 40-year-old midfielder would get playing time or whether he would simply be a coach.
Later however, it was confirmed that he would be part of the squad.
He then started for the red-and-whites in a cup quarter-final game against Football Club Krasnodar on 20 April 2011. He got a warm reception from the home fans and was substituted off in the second half. On 18 September 2011, Tikonov has played his farewell match as Spartak defeated his former team, Krylya Sovetov, 3–0.
Tikhonov made an assist and participated in another attack that ended with a goal before being substituted just before the end of the first half.