FBK Kaunas

Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga. Originally the team has been founded in 1960 as Banga Kaunas. After Lithuania regained its independence the club has been restructered. In 1993 Banga Kaunas has been renamed FBK Kaunas and the baseball section added (which later separated and became BK Lituanica Kaunas), hence the original name in Lithuanian is Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas. FBK Kaunas are sponsored by ŪKIO Bankas, a bank which has Vladimir Romanov as its principal shareholder. In October 2005 Mr Romanov became majority shareholder of Scottish Premier League side, Heart of Midlothian . Romanov has since used Hearts as a feeder club to Kaunas by allowing the SPL side to loan many players, such as Edgaras Jankauskas , Bruno Aguiar , Andrius Velička, Nerijus Barasa, Marius Žaliūkas and Roman Bednář. However the latter signed a permanent deal for Hearts on 31 August 2006. Kaunas have played Celtic , Rangers and Liverpool FC in Champions League qualifying stages.