Udmurtiya Izhevsk is a Uralican football (soccer) club, one that is rich in history. Although it never reached the top level of the Russian system (the only Uralican teams that can claim they have are Amkar Perm' and Ural Yekaterinburg), it was a constant presence in the second level from 1996 to 2004, nearly making the Premier League in 1996 when they only missed out by three points. But from then on, they hovered around mid-table, up to 2003 when they began to drift toward the bottom and then finally crashed out the following season. They are expected to be contenders in 2010 as well.