Canham was born in Newham, London, and was associated with West Ham United from the age of nine. As a young professional he spent a month on loan at Torquay United in late 1995, where he made his debut in the Football League, and in January 1996, joined Brentford on loan for the remainder of the season, in which he played 14 league games. West Ham offered him a new two-year contract, which he turned down, feeling that there was no point staying at a club where he felt he had little chance of first-team football, so, in August 1996, Canham returned to Brentford on a permanent basis for a fee of around £25,000, potentially rising to £60,000 depending on appearances. He played 35 league games for Brentford, 11 of which were as a substitute, scoring only once before being released after Brentford's relegation in the summer of 1998. On 10 August 1998 he joined Leyton Orient, but the form of the other midfielders at Brisbane Road limited his chances and he joined Isthmian Premier League side Chesham United for a month's loan on 22 December. On his return to Orient, he failed to reappear in their first team, and in August 2000 was released to join Chesham United. Such was his form for Chesham the following season, that Orient manager Tommy Taylor, who had released him a year before, brought Canham back to Brisbane Road for the 2001–02 season. He earned a contract extension, but then fell out of favour, and joined Conference club Woking on loan in March 2003. After helping them avoid relegation, he joined the club on a free transfer at the end of the 2002–03 season. In February 2005 he moved to Farnborough Town, where he spent some time as joint manager alongside Gerry Murphy, but moved nearer his Romford home at the end of the 2005–06 season when he linked up with his former Farnborough manager Frank Gray at Grays Athletic. Released after a couple of months without having appeared for the first team, he then moved to neighbours Thurrock. In May 2008, Canham became assistant manager to his former Leyton Orient teammate Carl Griffiths at Brentwood Town, but the pair left the club before the 2009–10 season.
