In the next in 1982 an attempt was made to win in the zone. In a bitter struggle with Chelyabinsk "Lokomotiv" Kazan in the end gave the first line to the Ural team. Vadim Popov scored 24 goals, updating the club record for the season. Season-1983 did not become a logical continuation of the 1982th, only a 5th place in the zone. In 1984, Rubin participated even worse. With the transfer Vadim Popov to Omsk Irtysh in the attack appeared unsolvable problems. Toothless team action in the attack was partly offset confident playing defensive line, led by Kikhtenko and Martynov, so Rubin could not fall below 10th place.