However, led by the goals of top scorer Hughie Ferguson, the club eased away from the relegation zone after the midway point of the campaign and finished in 14th position.

The economic downturn in the South Wales area led to a drop in attendance figures with only three league matches at Ninian Park attracting more than 20,000 spectators.

[1] The club had come close to becoming the first team from outside England to win the First Division in 1923–24, losing the title on the final day of the season to Huddersfield Town on goal average.

As well as dropping some first team players he signed three new forwards, Joe Cassidy from Bolton Wanderers, George McLachlan from Clyde and Hughie Ferguson from Motherwell.

[7] The trio provided fresh impetus in the squad and Ferguson's 19 league goals proved instrumental in helping the side avoid relegation and finish the campaign in 16th position.

Also leaving were Cassidy, less than a year after his £3,800 move and for a fee described in The Times as "substantially less" than the one paid for him,[11][12][13] and Joe Nicholson, who had led the club's attack in the 1925 FA Cup Final.

[3][10][14] Several fringe players also left the club, including Herbie Evans, Alfie Hagan, Joe Hills, Denis Lawson, Jack Page and Ebor Reed.

[12] Upon his appointment, the Football Echo remarked that Keenor was "a leader in every sense of the word, he commands respect of colleagues and sets an inspiring example by his wholehearted enthusiasm.

[17][22] The halt in production and declining sales of British industrial goods also affected Cardiff Docks, another prominent portion of the club's fanbase, which reduced its workforce.

The match was a highscoring affair; Ferguson, Cardiff's top goalscorer the previous year, opened his account with a brace and Len Davies added a third.

The only one of Stewart's debutants to retain their place for the following match was 19-year-old Curtis, who scored his first goal for the club in a 6–3 defeat to fellow strugglers Derby County.

[4][24] A 3–0 victory over mid-table side Sheffield United on 9 October lifted Cardiff two places, Willie Davies, Irving and Ferguson with the goals.

[17] Cardiff's winning run was brought to an end by a 4–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on 13 November,[14] the first time they had lost at White Hart Lane.

[27] The return fixture against West Ham resulted in a 2–1 defeat soon after and Cardiff were dealt a further blow as Willie Davies made his final appearance of the season as he was ruled out indefinitely after contracting pleurisy and confined to a sanatorium.

[14][30] Concerned about his team's faltering performances, Stewart made several more additions to his squad in December, adding goalkeeper Tommy Hampson from Darlington and forwards Fred Castle and Frank Matson from Mid Rhondda and Reading respectively.

[17] Matson made his debut against Blackburn Rovers on 18 December and Castle against Newcastle a week later, but neither were able to stop the side falling to 1–0 and 5–0 defeats.

Frustrated at his lack of playing time over the Christmas and New Year period, he handed in a transfer request which was accepted at a board meeting on 19 January.

[33] Keenor was restored to the side for the club's first match in February and helped secure a 1–0 victory over Bolton, with Len Davies scoring Cardiff's winning goal.

They were aided by the arrival of forward Billy Thirlaway from Birmingham, a signing which allowed Stewart to move Ferguson to his natural centre-forward position, having been used to cover there since Willie Davies had been ruled out.

Ferguson rediscovered his goalscoring form after being switched and added a brace in a 2–0 win over Derby the following week in front of 10,057 spectators, the lowest league crowd of the season at Ninian Park.

[14] These results meant Cardiff had lost only once since mid-January, winning five and drawing the remaining four of their previous ten fixtures,[14] and had elevated the side to 12th place by the end of March.

The club's improved form and FA Cup run had led to an increase in attendances as interest rose with the Liverpool match attracting more than 21,000 spectators.

[14][36] Another improved crowd watched Cardiff beat Everton 1–0 in their final home game of the season with Keenor scoring the only goal, before they finished the campaign with a 1–0 defeat to Blackburn.

Finalists two years earlier, Cardiff began their FA Cup campaign in the third round with a 2–1 win over fellow First Division side Aston Villa at Ninian Park.

Ferguson converted the penalty and he provided an assist for Len Davies to seal the game, crossing for his teammate to head the second and final goal.

To compensate for the poor pitch state, Stewart focused his side's attack on long balls and the approach paid off quickly as Cardiff took a 2–0 lead through Irving and Len Davies.

[14][46] Cardiff faced Second Division opposition again in the semi-final, being drawn against Reading in a match played at a neutral venue, Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton.

Despite the team's attacking prowess, it was the half-back line of Keenor, Billy Hardy and Sloan that drew praise with the Daily Mirror reporting that the trio "dominated" the tie.

In the return fixture, Cardiff dominated the game and ran out 6–1 winners, Len Davies and Castle scoring a brace each with McLachlan and Curtis adding the others.

[14] FW = Forward, HB = Halfback, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender Sources:[14][39] With the proceeds of their FA Cup victory, having earned more than £23,000 in gate receipts alone,[54] the club installed a cover above the roof of the Grange End stand at Ninian Park.