Year 1997. Rubin in first division.

We recover lost ground

 The turning point in modern history of "Rubin" was the year 1996. The patron of the club became the mayor of Kazan Kamil Ishakov, a guarantor of the financial health of the club - led by him the city administration. Were set tasks – first of all go to the first league, and then to Premier League. Tasks were successfully resolved, but about this a bit later. All questions about life support of the team have been resolved early, and it got for the first time in recent years an opportunity to prepare for the season in a relaxed atmosphere and convenient conditions. At the post of head coach was invited to highly experienced mentor, honored trainer of Russia, Igor Volchok, who had undertaken to solve the problem - for two years to bring "Rubin" in the first league.

Rustem Khuzin - captain of Rubin

18 new players came to the team, including returning to "Rubin" Sergey Moiseyev, Rashid Zainutdinov and Oleg Mironov. Particularly clearly demonstrated their skills two forwards - Vladimir Pantyushenko and Rustam Zabirov. In the final table "Rubin" was on 6 th position, poised himself in the asset away victory over the winner of the zone - Dimitrovgrad "Lada" (3:0).

In next 1997 a mission to go to the first league became more complicated by the fact that this time, according to the regulations of the competition, only one team of the central zone of the second league received this opportunity - its  winner. Rubin strengthened by the return to the team its best students: Sergei Kharlamov, Rustem Bulatov, Airat Ahmetgaliev, Rustem Huzin. At the gate appeared Valery Aleskarov from Nizhnekamsk, in the attack Andrey Knyazev from Magnitogorsk. Having taken the leadership in the zone after the third round, "Rubin" in the future, only increased its advantage and finished the first, as a result scored 102 points out of 120 possible. The task of returning the club to the first division has been resolved. At the same time at the end of the championship Kazan managed to win 13 wins in a row. Andrey Knyazev was the best scorer of the season, scoring 30 goals (25 of them in the championship). Season-1997 is notable for "Rubin" by the fact that in the club again (after a 22-year break) appeared a reserve team.

Igor Volchok

From the best side FC Rubin showed itself in the Cup of Russia 97/98. Beat in turn a strong team Fakel Saratov (2:0) at the away game a representative of Premier League – Lokomotive Nizhniy Novgorod - 1:0 at home, Rubin in ⅛ of final played against Arsenal from Tula. In the game against Tula a goal of Airat Ahmetgaliev, which he scored 2 minutes before the end of the match, and delighted the 15,000 fans, in the stands of Tsentralny stadium, became decisive.

In next 1998 remembered the loss in ¼ of final of the Cup of Russia to Alaniya from Vladikavkaz (0:3) and the change of head coach. Instead of a retired I. Volchok team headed by Alexander Sergeyevich Irkhin. But Irkhin lasted in his post until the end of the season. In the first division championship Kazan finished on 7 th place.

Year 2002.

In December 1998, Rubin headed by one of the most acclaimed and highly respected Russian coach, Pavel  Sadyrin. Completed the contract year, and, not having achieved with "Rubin" little success (season-1999 Kazan finished on 7 th place), Pavel Sadyrin left Kazan (later he once again took CSKA Moscow).

In order to solve the problem of  playing in the top division of Russian championship in 2000 was called Victor Petrovich Antihovich. 15 players of Rubin, who played in season-99, left the team. Four of them moved into the top division clubs: Okroshidze, Bulatov, and Lysenko in CSKA Sennikov - in Moscow Lokomotiv. In Amkar Perm went Huzin. During the championship determined clear favorite - Saratov "Sokol", "staked out" for a 1 st place. Rubin struggled with Torpedo-ZIL for the second qualifying in the top division. In a dramatic confrontation at the finish of the season Kazan was on 3-rd position, behind Torpedo by 2 points.

Kamil Iskhakov

Season 2001 Rubin began not good. As a consequence - the next coach's resignation. Instead of V. Antihovich in August was invited coach from Smolensk Kristall Kurban Bekievich Berdiyev. Already under his leadership Kazan finished the season at the 8-th place.

Year 2002 began. Before the season, "Rubin" invited a number of qualified players who managed to "smell the gunpowder" of Major League: David Chaladze, Gennady Semin, Michail Sinev, Andrei Konovalov. Season, the team conducted more than successful. In 34 games won 22 wins, with six draws and six defeats. Striker David Chaladze divided the laurels of a best scorer with Vyacheslav Kamoltsevym From Chernomorets. Both scored 20 goals. Chaladze became the third player in history of "Rubin", scoring 4 goals in one game. It happened in the match with the Krasnoyarsk "Metallurg" (5:0).

The result of the season: 1-st position in 1-st division and permission to play in Premier-League.