FC Spartak Vladikavkaz () was a Russian football club based in Vladikavkaz (formerly Ordzhonikidze), North Ossetia–Alania. Founded in 1921, the club played in the Soviet Top League during the communist era, and won its first and only league title in the 1995 Russian Top League. History At dissolution of the Soviet Union, Spartak Vladikavkaz were the only non-Muscovite Russian club competing in the old Soviet Top League. This had been their second and last season in the STL. Before that the only other season they competed in the top Soviet division was in 1970. Their most successful season was 1995 when they managed to win the Russian Premier League champions title after several years of domination by Spartak Moscow. They were the first non-Muscovite Russian club to win the title since Zenit St Petersburg won the STL in 1984. The team had previously won a silver medal for second place in 1992 and 1996. However, in the qualification stages of the UEFA Champions League Alania lost 10–3 on aggregate to the Scottish club Rangers. However, after departure of manager Valery Gazzaev and several players from the club, Alania were not able to repeat its success, finishing in the bottom half of the table. Previously, the club was known as Spartak Ordzhonikidze (1937–1990), Spartak Vladikavkaz (1990–1994, 2006 and from 2016), Spartak-Alania Vladikavkaz (1995–1996 and 2003), Alania Vladikavkaz (1997–2002, 2004–2005 and from 2007 to 2016). In season 2005 Alania was relegated from Russian Premier League after 15 seasons of top-flight football. On 14 February 2006 Alania and another First Division club, Lokomotiv Chita, were denied professional licences by Professional Football League and excluded from professional football for juridical irregularities. On 22 February PFL decided to replace Alania and Lokomotiv with Lada Togliatti and Mashuk-KMV Pyatigorsk, the runners-up in the Second Division. The Russian Football Union did not endorse the exclusion and on 28 February decided to keep Alania and Lokomotiv in the First Division, giving them another chance to fulfill the league requirements. Consequently, on 6 March PFL decided to extend the First Division from 22 to 24 clubs, including Alania, Lokomotiv, Lada, and Mashuk-KMV. However, on 20 March the Russian Football Union finally decided to exclude Alania and Lokomotiv from the league. This decision was announced by the Professional Football League on 21 March, five days before the start of the First Division. Alania underwent reorganization, were renamed Spartak Vladikavkaz and