FK Atlantas was a Lithuanian professional football club based in the port city of Klaipėda.

The club's name has changed several times. It was established in 1962 as Granitas, and became PSK Aras in 1993. Since 1996, when FK Sirijus Klaipėda was absorbed into the club, it has had the name Atlantas, which in Lithuanian means .

Atlantas were the SSR Lithuanian champions in 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1984.

History

The modern-day Atlantas was founded in 1996. During the Soviet occupation of Klaipėda, the team was known as Granitas. Atlantas was a farm club of Granitas from 1970. The name Atlantas was used in Lithuanian championships and Granitas in Soviet Union championships. During the period of Lithuanian independence from 1990, the tradition of using Granitas and Atlantas was lost, but in 1996, the team was reestablished and named Atlantas.

In summer 2018, the club had financial problems because its bank accounts were suspended. The club owners considered all possibilities to save the club from dissolution. In the first half of the 2018 A Lyga, the club was in fourth position; after the summer, they failed to win any games in the championship and lost their position. After 28 rounds, however, they were in sixth position and could play in the final stage of the championship. The 29th round was a loss to FC Stumbras 0–6.

In January 2019, it was reported that the club lost its sponsorships from businesses and the City of Klaipėda, meaning the club would soon become defunct.

In February 2019, the club changed owners. The new chief was Vidas Adomaitis.

On 5 December 2019, the Lithuanian Football Federation announced that two A Lyga clubs, FK Atlantas and FK Palanga, had been excluded from the A Lyga, fined €30,000 and had been relegated to II Lyga due to manipulation of match results. Five players were punished with fines and a ban from all football activity ranging from 6 to 12 months.

In 2020, Atlantas was in Antra lyga (3rd level), and after the first round was one of the top six teams. In the final stages, the team had chances for promotion to Pirma lyga.

Name history

  • 1962 – Granitas Klaipėda
  • 1970 – Atlantas Klaipėda
  • 1996 – FK Atlantas Klaipėda

Honours

Domestic

  • Lithuanian Championship
  • Runners-up (3): 2001, 2002, 2013
  • Third place (5): 1999, 2000, 2004, 2014, 2015
  • Lithuanian Cup
  • Winners (2): 2001, 2003
  • Runners-up (2): 2004, 2014–15

Soviet Championship

  • Lithuanian SSR Championship
  • Champions (4): 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984
  • Soviet Second League
  • Winners (2): 1964, 1985
  • Lithuanian SSR Cup
  • Winners (4): 1977, 1981, 1983, 1986

Other tournaments

  • Turkmenistan President's Cup
  • Third place (1): 2003

Supporters

FK Atlantas supporters were called Vakarų Frontas. They maintained friendly relations with fans of Žalgiris Vilnius and Rangers FC.

Crest and colours

The crest features a yellow seahorse with a football on the background. In the middle of the crest is white text stating Atlantas at the top and Klaipėda in smaller text under it. The logo contains some white.

Since the beginning, the club has used the colors yellow and blue on their kits.

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Kit manufacturers

  • 2013–2016: Jako
  • 2017–2018: Puma
  • 2018–present: Adidas

Season-by-season

; Lithuania

:{|class="wikitable"

! Season

! Div.

! Pos.

! Pl.

! W

! D

! L

! Goals

! Top Scorer

!Cup

!colspan=2|Europe

|-

|align=center|1999

|align=center|1st

|align=center|3

|align=center|18

|align=center|9

|align=center|6

|align=center|3

|align=center|34–24

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2000

|align=center|1st

|align=center|3

|align=center|36

|align=center|21

|align=center|4

|align=center|11

|align=center|70–45

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2001

|align=center|1st

|align=center|2

|align=center|36

|align=center|19

|align=center|12

|align=center|5

|align=center|66–29

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2002

|align=center|1st

|align=center|2

|align=center|32

|align=center|20

|align=center|7

|align=center|5

|align=center|58–23

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2003

|align=center|1st

|align=center|5

|align=center|28

|align=center|9

|align=center|6

|align=center|13

|align=center|27–30

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2004

|align=center|1st

|align=center|3

|align=center|28

|align=center|15

|align=center|5

|align=center|8

|align=center|36–29

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2005

|align=center|1st

|align=center|7

|align=center|36

|align=center|11

|align=center|8

|align=center|17

|align=center|40–52

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2006

|align=center|1st

|align=center|6

|align=center|36

|align=center|14

|align=center|10

|align=center|12

|align=center|46–41

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2007

|align=center|1st

|align=center|6

|align=center|36

|align=center|13

|align=center|6

|align=center|17

|align=center|54–45

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2008

|align=center|1st

|align=center|6

|align=center|28

|align=center|7

|align=center|7

|align=center|14

|align=center|31–44

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2009

|align=center|3rd

|align=center|1

|align=center|20

|align=center|18

|align=center|2

|align=center|0

|align=center|101–11

|align=center|Gintas Podelis

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2010

|align=center|2nd

|align=center|7

|align=center|27

|align=center|9

|align=center|6

|align=center|12

|align=center|35–33

|align=center|Žilvinas Kymantas

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2011

|align=center|1st

|align=center|11

|align=center|33

|align=center|3

|align=center|2

|align=center|28

|align=center|28–121

|align=center|Karolis Laukžemis

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2012

|align=center|1st

|align=center|8

|align=center|36

|align=center|7

|align=center|6

|align=center|23

|align=center|33–92

|align=center|Tino Lagator

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2013

|align=center|1st

|align=center|2

|align=center|32

|align=center|22

|align=center|5

|align=center|5

|align=center|64–23

|align=center|Evaldas Razulis

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2014

|align=center|1st

|align=center|3

|align=center|36

|align=center|19

|align=center|8

|align=center|9

|align=center|76–36

|align=center|Evaldas Razulis

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2015

|align=center|1st

|align=center|3

|align=center|36

|align=center|21

|align=center|7

|align=center|8

|align=center|65–34

|align=center|Andrey Panyukov

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2016

|align=center|1st

|align=center|4

|align=center|33

|align=center|16

|align=center|8

|align=center|9

|align=center|42–32

|align=center|Maksim Maksimov

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2017

|align=center|1st

|align=center|5

|align=center|33

|align=center|8

|align=center|12

|align=center|13

|align=center|39–43

|align=center|Andrey Panyukov

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2018

|align=center|1st

|align=center|6

|align=center|33

|align=center|6

|align=center|6

|align=center|21

|align=center|28–75

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|-

|align=center|2019

|align=center|1st

|align=center|6

|align=center|33

|align=center|7

|align=center|5

|align=center|21

|align=center|30–78

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=center|

|align=left|

|}

2020 squad

Notable and famous players

FK Atlantas players who have either appeared for their respective national team at any time or received an individual award while at the club.

;Lithuania

  • Robertas Poškus (1996–1997)
  • Tomas Danilevičius (1995–1996)
  • Raimondas Žutautas (1995)
  • Darvydas Šernas
  • Linas Pilibaitis
  • Kęstutis Ivaškevičius
  • Andrius Jokšas
  • Rimantas Žvingilas
  • Valdas Trakys
  • Vladimiras Buzmakovas
  • Darius Žutautas
  • Audrius Kšanavičius
  • Mindaugas Panka
  • Edvinas Gertmonas
  • Nerijus Barasa
  • Tadas Labukas
  • Arūnas Šuika
  • Remigijus Pocius
  • Vidas Alunderis
  • Andrius Gedgaudas
  • Rolandas Baravykas
  • Ovidijus Verbickas
  • Saulius Mikalajūnas
  • Valdemaras Martinkėnas
  • Audrius Žuta
  • Viktoras Olšanskis
  • Tomas Žiukas
  • Vadimas Petrenko

;Europe

  • Adebayo Akinfenwa (2001–2002)
  • Jalen Pokorn
  • Andrei Panyukov
  • Yuri Kirillov
  • Dzmitry Mazalewski

;South America

  • Leandro da Silva

;Africa

  • Pascal Feindouno (2016)

;Asia

  • Minoru Takenaka (2000–2003)

European cups history

{| class="wikitable"

! Season

! Competition

! Round

! Club

! 1st Leg

! 2nd Leg

! Aggregate

!

|-

| rowspan="2"| 2000

| rowspan="2"| UEFA Intertoto Cup

| 1R

| Kocaelispor

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–0

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–1

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–1 (5–3 p)

| 17px

|-

| 2R

| Bradford City

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–4

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–3

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 2–7

| 17px

|-

| 2001–02

| UEFA Cup

| QR

| Rapid București

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–4

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–8

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–12

| 17px

|-

| 2002–03

| UEFA Cup

| QR

| Litex Lovech

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–5

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–3

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–8

| 17px

|-

| 2003–04

| UEFA Cup

| QR

| Dyskobolia Grodzisk

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–4

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–6

| 17px

|-

| 2004

| UEFA Intertoto Cup

| 1R

| Spartak Moscow

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–0

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–2

| 17px

|-

| 2005–06

| UEFA Cup

| 1Q

| Rhyl

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 3–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 4–4 (a)

| 17px

|-

| rowspan="2"| 2014–15

| rowspan="2"| UEFA Europa League

| 1Q

| FC Differdange 03

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–1

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 3–1

| bgcolor="#ddffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 3–2

| 17px

|-

| 2Q

| Shakhter Karagandy

| bgcolor="#ffffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–0

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–3

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–3

|17px

|-

|2015–16

|UEFA Europa League

| 1Q

| Beroe Stara Zagora

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–3

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–5

| 17px

|-

| 2016–17

| UEFA Europa League

| 1Q

| HJK

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–2

| bgcolor="#ffffdd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–1

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–3

| 17px

|-

| 2017–18

| UEFA Europa League

| 1Q

| Kairat

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 0–6

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–2

| bgcolor="#ffdddd" style="text-align:center;"| 1–8

| 17px

|}

2020 staff

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Position

! Name

|-

| President

| Vidas Adomaitis

|-

| Director of football

| Arnas Lekevičius

|-

| Head coach

| Viktors Dobrecovs

|-

|}

Managers

  • Algirdas Klimkevičius (19??–66)
  • Algirdas Vosylius (1967–??)
  • Romualdas Dambrauskas (19??–70)
  • Henrikas Markevičius (1976–78)
  • Fiodoras Finkelis (1978)
  • Vladas Ulinauskas (1980)
  • Romas Lavrinavičius (1981)
  • Algirdas Mitigaila (1982–83)
  • Česlovas Urbonavičius (1984–86)
  • Vytautas Gedgaudas (1986–89)
  • Česlovas Urbonavičius (1984)
  • Vytautas Gedgaudas (1992 – March 95)
  • Algirdas Mitigaila (March 1995–00)
  • Arūnas Šuika (2000)
  • Vacys Lekevičius (2001–04)
  • Šenderis Giršovičius (2002)
  • Igoris Pankratjevas (2003–05)
  • Vacys Lekevičius (2005)
  • Igoris Pankratjevas (2006)
  • Arminas Narbekovas (2006–07)
  • Mindaugas Čepas (2008–09)
  • Šenderis Giršovičius (2009–10)
  • Saulius Mikalajūnas (23 Dec 2009 – 20 May 2010)
  • Igoris Pankratjevas (2010)
  • Vitalijus Stankevičius (2011)
  • Romualdas Norkus (1 March 2012 – 30 June 2012)
  • Sébastien Roques (July 2012 – Nov 2012)
  • Konstantin Sarsania (1 Jan 2013 – 27 May 2017)
  • Sergej Savchenkov (28 May 2017 – 13 June 2017)
  • Rimantas Žvingilas (13 Jun 2017 – 23 July 2017)
  • Igoris Pankratjevas (23 Jul 2017–end of 2017)
  • Algimantas Briaunys (January 2018– 30 August 2018)
  • Anatoli Shelest (September 2018 – November 2018)
  • Viktors Dobrecovs (February 2019 – November 2019)
  • Donatas Navikas (in November 2019; temporary)

References

  • Official website