club's delegation in one match. The board secured his signing on a free transfer but he was denied a work permit by the Ministry of Labour and the move, which would have seen him become the first foreign player in the club's history, subsequently collapsed. At boardroom level, Walter Parker was reappointed as chairman having taken a year out in which his position had been held by Watkins J. Williams. The club had invested a significant portion of its profits from winning the 1927 FA Cup in constructing a new roof for the 18,000 capacity Grange End Stand at Ninian Park. The new stand was due to be opened for the club's first home game of the season on 1 September 1928. First Division August–December Cardiff began the season with an away match against Newcastle United on 25 August 1928. Hughie Ferguson, the club's top goalscorer for the previous two campaigns, opened his account from the penalty spot as the match ended in a 1–1 draw. The club's first home match of the season was against Burnley on 1 September and was preceded by an opening ceremony for the newly constructed roof above the Grange End Stand which was led by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Arthur John Howell. Ferguson continued his strong start to the season by scoring five times, with Len Davies adding a brace, during a 7–0 victory. As of August 2020, the result remains the team's largest win in the top tier while Ferguson's tally of five is the most scored by a Cardiff player in a league match, tied with Walter Robbins and Jim Henderson. Their first defeat of the season followed a week later as they lost 2–0 to Derby County. Ferguson scored a brace on 10 September during a 3–2 win over West Ham United, with Billy Thirlaway also scoring his first of the season. Stan Davies scored his first goal for the club following his transfer in the next match, but was unable to stop the side losing 3–1 to Sheffield United. Ferguson continued his scoring streak with a goal in a 1–1 draw in the reverse fixture with West Ham on 17 September and another during a 4–0 win over Bury five days later, taking his tally to ten goals in the opening seven games of the campaign to help his side to fifth place. However, Cardiff's positive start quickly ended