FC Amkar Perm (Russian: Футбо́льный клуб "Амка́р" Пермь [fʊdˈbolʲnɨj ˈkɫup ɐmˈkar pʲermʲ]) is a professional football club.

The name "Amkar" derives from a combination of parts of the Russian words "AMmiak" (ammonia) and "KARbamid (carbamide, urea) – these two substances being the main products of the plant.

Spartak's previous visit to the Western Urals was in 1977 as a first division side, when they were close to a return to the top tier of domestic football.

In 2003, with two matches left to play, Amkar was in fourth position, one point behind Kuban Krasnodar and losing out to Tom Tomsk and Terek Grozny on the total number of wins.

According to the pundits, Amkar and Terek would be losers in this four-horse race but a sensational draw between Tom and Baltika Kaliningrad made the red and blacks favourites.

Before the first season in the Premier League, Amkar was strengthened by such players as Ivan Levenets, Oleksandr Shutov, Vladimir Leonchenko, Zahari Sirakov, Andrei Lavrik, Ghenadie Olexici, Noureddine Ziyati and Erik Lincar, among others, and their debut match was away against Kuban Krasnodar.

In the 2004–05 season, Amkar repeated its success in the Russian Cup, once more reaching the semi-finals, but losing on aggregate 0–2 to Khimki.

On 16 April 2008, the club beat Ural Yekaterinburg 1–0 and reached the final, losing to CSKA Moscow in a penalty shootout.

Before the start of the 2008 season, head coach Rashid Rakhimov left the club for Lokomotiv Moscow and was replaced by a little-known specialist from Montenegro, Miodrag Božović.

Before the break for UEFA Euro 2008, Amkar was in third place in the standings, one point behind second-placed Spartak Moscow and six adrift of leaders Rubin Kazan.

Two matches in a row on the "equator" of the Championship Amkar could have topped the league table but was unable to beat Tom Tomsk and Spartak Nalchik at home.

For the first five rounds of the 2009 Championship, the team conceded just one goal, but thereafter began to commit gross mistakes in defence on a regular basis, as a result of which the club was left fighting for survival.

In the Russian Cup, Amkar defeated the two Avangard clubs from Kursk and Podolsk, then in the quarter-final was awarded a technical victory over the defunct FC Moscow.

However, on 21 April 2010, Amkar lost at home in the semi-final to Zenit in a penalty shoot-out, having played full-time and extra time 0–0.

On 21 December 2010, a statement to the effect that Amkar was voluntarily to join the First Division due to financial difficulties appeared on the club's official website.

However, the team played poorly for the rest of the season,[11] managing only four points from their last eight games (an away win over Lokomotiv Moscow and a draw away to Mordovia Saransk).

A series without a win followed the victory over Alania and after the Dynamo match Amkar lost to Terek Grozny (1–2) and Lokomotiv Moscow (2–4).

After another devastating defeat from Kuban (0–4), followed by a victory over their direct rivals Rostov (3–2), and a goalless draw with Zenit, the club retained the right to play in the Premier League.

In June 2013, the club opted not to renew the contracts of Rustem Huzin and senior team coach Alexander Gorshkov, which were due to expire in the summer.