Kaunas

Banga Kaunas (1960–1993)

The roots of the club can be traced back to 1960 when Banga Kaunas was founded. Capable players were invited to the club and the club immediately received the right to play in the USSR competitions, which it transferred to Granitas Klaipėda after 1962. In 1963, the club was to be disbanded, but remained as a amateur club of the Kaunas Radio Factory. In 1963, the physical education club of the Kaunas Radio Factory was given the name of a sports club (for good sports performance).

Afterwards, the club played in the Lithuanian SSR championship and they did so until 1990. Later, Banga Kaunas was one of the strongest football clubs, in the 1986 LFF Lyga, they became Lithuanian champions. In the 1989 LFF Lyga, they repeated this achievement, and after regaining independence, Banga Kaunas was merged with FK Vilija Kaunas in the summer of 1991. They played as Banga Kaunas until 1993 before the club changed its name.

FBK Kaunas (1993–1999 and 2000–2012)

In 1993, the club was renamed to Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas. The club had in its first years not such a great success and FBK Kaunas had to wait until 1999 before they could lift a trophy again. Club was shortly renamed to Žalgiris Kaunas after the ninth round of 1999 A Lyga, but only carried the name for the remaining of the season. From 1999 to 2008, Kaunas won eight championships, four Lithuanian Cups, three Super Cups and one Baltic league title. After finishing second in 2008 A Lyga, the club's president announced that the club was being demoted from A Lyga to I Lyga, the second tier of Lithuanian football system, but as conflict with the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) intensified, FBK Kaunas was relegated to II Lyga that consisted of amateur teams.

FBK Kaunas won II Lyga championship in their first year in that division. Despite relegation FBK Kaunas also participated in the new UEFA Europa League as a vice champions of 2008 A Lyga, but did not advance past FK Sevojno. Despite drawing both games FBK Kaunas lost on away goals. FBK Kaunas won I Lyga in 2010 and was promoted to the 2011 A Lyga. The 2011 season was a huge disappointment for Kaunas as they did not manage to live up to the high expectations and eventually ended at 10th place.

FBK Kaunas were not granted a 2012 A Lyga license because of financial problems and was due to play in the 2012 I Lyga. However, due to the club's increasing financial problems the chairman eventually decided to withdraw the club from any competitions and later declared the club bankrupt. Shortly afterwards the fans decided to form a new club.

Kaunas have played Celtic, Rangers and Liverpool among others in Champions League and Europa League qualifying stages. On 5 August 2008, FBK Kaunas defeated Rangers, 2–1, to advance to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League for the first time. The game was won in dramatic circumstances as Kaunas had to come from behind and finally took the lead just four minutes from time. Linas Pilibaitis was the scorer.

FBK Kaunas were for many years (1993–2012) sponsored by Ūkio bankas, a bank which had Vladimir Romanov as its principal shareholder. In October 2005, Romanov became the majority shareholder of Scottish Premier League side, Heart of Midlothian. Romanov then used Kaunas as a feeder club for Hearts by signing players ostensibly for Kaunas, then immediately loaning them to the SPL side. Romanov's mismanagement and dubious dealings effectively destroyed the clubs he was involved with FBK Kaunas and Partizan Minsk going bankrupt and Hearts into administration. Romanov fled to Russia where he was granted asylum in 2014 and is now wanted by the Lithuanian prosecutors on charges for fraud and embezzling for at least £308 million.