FC Kuban Krasnodar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kuban

Full name	Футбольный клуб Кубань Краснодар (Football Club Kuban Krasnodar)
Nickname(s)	Kazaki (The Cossacks) Zhelto-zeleniye (The Yellow-Greens) Zhaby (The Toads)
Founded	1928; 98 years ago (1928)
Dissolved	2018; 8 years ago (2018) (continues to play locally)
Ground	Kuban Stadium, Krasnodar
Ground Capacity	35,200
2017–18	FNL, 9th
Home colours Away colours

FC Kuban was a professional football club from Krasnodar, Russia. It was one of the oldest football clubs in the country. The team played in the top Russian league, the Russian Premier League, starting in 2011. They had won the Russian First Division the year before.

Fans and club members were often called "Kubantsy" because of their location in the Kuban region. They were also known as the "yellow-greens" due to their team colors. Other nicknames included "The Cossacks," "The Canaries," and sometimes "The Toads" by opposing fans.

On May 17, 2018, FC Kuban stopped playing professionally due to financial difficulties. However, fans and former players brought the team back to play at a local level a few months later. This local team played its first official match in the Krasnodar Krai Regional League. It is important to know that this club is not officially connected to the new PFC Kuban Krasnodar. The new club is often seen as its successor in professional football.

FC Kuban: A Football Story

The Club's Many Names

Over its long history, the club changed its name several times:

• Dynamo (1928–53)
• Neftyanik (1954–57)
• Kuban (1958–60)
• Spartak (1960–62)
• Kuban (1963–2018)

Early Days of Football

Football first became popular in the Kuban region in the early 1900s. Many sports clubs started in Ekaterinodar (now Krasnodar). At first, teams played against each other within the same club. Gradually, interest grew, and friendly matches began between clubs from different cities.

First Intercity Match

The first match between cities in Ekaterinodar happened on August 6 or 9, 1912. The Achilles club from Ekaterinodar won 5–0 against Olympia from Novorossiysk. By 1913, city championships were common, with teams like Achilles, Sport, and Victoria competing regularly.

Founding the Team

The club officially states its history began in 1928. This was when Dynamo NKVD was formed in Krasnodar. Some reports suggest the team started a year earlier. However, official documents from the archives confirm the team's existence in 1928.

Dynamo Era (1928–1953)

Before national championships, Dynamo played friendly games against top teams. They competed with clubs from Russia, Ukraine, and the Caucasus region. The team also participated in local city tournaments.

In 1931, Dynamo moved into its own stadium. This stadium is still the oldest sports facility in Krasnodar today. That same year, the club received an award for being top sportspeople in the Northern Caucasus.

In 1935, Dynamo was the only Krasnodar team to play in the intercity USSR Championship. They played three games in five days in Pyatigorsk. They drew with Yerevan, won against Makhachkala, and lost to Pyatigorsk. They finished third in their group.

In 1948, the club played in the RSFSR championship. They started with games in the North Caucasus and remained undefeated. In the playoffs, Dynamo reached the finals without a single loss. On October 17, 1948, Dynamo won 4–0 against Molotov. This made them RSFSR champions for the first time in their history.

Neftyanik Era (1954–1957)

In 1953, Dynamo changed its name to Neftyanik. The team represented Krasnodar in the Class B Soviet League in 1954. They played well in the first part of the 1953 championship. However, their performance dropped in the second half, and they finished 10th.

In 1955, Neftyanik finished fifth and moved up to Class A of the Soviet Top League. The next year, the club finished fourth. In the 1957 season, Neftyanik again secured a fourth-place finish.

First Kuban Period (1958–1960)

In 1958, the team changed its name again, this time to Kuban. They stayed near the top of the league for most of the 1958–59 season. This was impressive, as many key players had joined the army team, FC SKVO. In the 1959–60 season, Kuban finished in fifth place.

Spartak Era (1960–1962)

The team moved to the Spartak sports society in the second half of the 1960 season. They finished third that year. The following year, they finished eighth, which fans believed was due to coaching issues.

After the first part of the 1962 championship, Spartak was in sixth place. A new manager, Vladimir Gorokhov, joined the team. In the second part of the season, Spartak won their zonal tournament.

The final round included the five best clubs in Krasnodar Krai. Spartak played four matches and won three of them. They defeated Voronezh Trud, Army Novosibirsk, and Yaroslavl Shinnik. They drew with Sverdlovsk Uralmash. As RSFSR zone champions, Spartak earned the right to play in the Soviet Top League. However, a league reorganization prevented them from moving up.

Second Kuban Period (1963–1979)

In 1963, the club changed its name back to Kuban. They had mixed results and finished 10th in Group 2 of Class A. After two difficult seasons in 1964 and 1965, they had three good seasons in 1966, 1967, and 1969. Despite finishing third each time, the team did not get promoted. In 1970, Kuban moved down to the Soviet Second League, and new owners took over the next year.

In 1973, Kuban finished third in the final tournament. This earned them a return to the First League and their third RSFSR zone championship. The club struggled in the First League for two seasons. They were relegated again to the Second League in 1976. Kuban returned to the First League in 1977. After a strong start in 1978, they finished in sixth place.

The 1979 season was one of the club's most successful. Kuban finished second, which meant they could play in the Top League the next year. This time, there was no league reorganization, and Kuban was promoted.

The 1980s and Early 1990s

In 1980, Kuban played in the Soviet Top League for the first time. The Kuban Stadium was renovated, making it larger. Their first home game was a 0–0 draw with Lokomotiv Moscow. On April 12, Kuban scored its first Top League goals against Dynamo Tbilisi in a 2–2 draw. In 1981, the team finished 13th, which was a great achievement.

The 1982 season started well, but Kuban was relegated from the Soviet Top League by the end of the season. In 1983, Kuban had inconsistent results. They beat strong clubs but lost points to weaker teams, finishing eighth.

Kuban finished fourth in 1984. They were close to a top-two finish and promotion but lost their final game. The next two seasons were tough. The team barely avoided relegation in 1985 and was relegated in 1986.

In 1987, Kuban was promoted back to the First League. In November, they won their fourth RSFSR championship. This was a record for a club outside the capital city. For the next four seasons (1988–1991), Kuban mostly finished in the lower half of the USSR First League.

Post-Soviet Era (1992–1999)

After the Soviet Union ended and its leagues changed, Kuban played in the new Top Division in 1992. However, they struggled and were relegated to the First Division. In 1993, a new head coach, Leonid Nazarenko, joined. Kuban started strong but finished 15th.

In 1994, many expected the team to return to the Top Division. Kuban was in second place early on but finished sixth. In 1995, Kuban earned promotion to the Top Division. They had a strong finish, including a 3–0 win over Anzhi in their last home match.

After returning to the Top Division in 1996, Kuban's performance varied. They were near the top in mid-season but lost many home games, finishing 10th. The next year was less successful, with Kuban finishing 16th.

In 1998, Kuban faced serious financial problems. After being relegated to the Russian Professional Football League, most players left. A new president, Ivan Panenko, helped the club rebuild over the next two years.

Kuban's comeback began in 1999. New head coach Soferbi Yeshugov recruited local players. The club had a successful season, winning the Southern Zone championship.

The New Millennium (2000s)

In 2000, Kuban had an impressive 14-match winning streak and took first place. Despite a coaching change, the club finished first in the Second Division southern zone. They won two matches against FC Saransk Lighting to secure promotion.

In early 2001, the Krasnodar Krai government took over Kuban's management. The new president, Governor Aleksander Tkachyov, aimed for promotion to the Russian Premier League. Although the club started well, they finished third and did not get promoted.

The 2002 season saw disagreements between the coach and some players. After a coaching change, the team improved and finished fourth.

In 2003, Kuban was in first place after the first half of the season. A series of defeats led to another coaching change. Kuban then won 11 matches in a row, a record for the First Division at the time. They finished second and were promoted to the Russian Premier League.

Poor coaching led to a difficult 2004 season. Kuban finished 15th and was demoted again. The only highlight was a 2–1 home win against Lokomotiv Moscow, who became league champions that year.

In 2005, Kuban had its first foreign coach, Jozef Chovanec from the Czech Republic. The season started well, but Kuban lost several games later on and finished fifth. The team refused to travel to Nalchik due to safety concerns and forfeited the match. Kuban had the best defense in the league, allowing only 25 goals in 42 matches.

Pavel Yakovenko coached Kuban in 2006. The team was in first place until the last round. A 0–2 defeat against Khimki dropped them to second, but they still earned promotion to the Russian Premier League.

The 2007 season began poorly, with no wins. Yakovenko was replaced by Leonid Nazarenko. When the team did not improve, Nazarenko resigned as coach but stayed with the club. Soferbi Yeshugov briefly coached before Nazarenko stepped in again. Kuban finished 15th and was demoted to the First Division. In December, supporters gathered near the stadium due to worries about the club's financial future.

In 2008, Kuban celebrated its 80th anniversary. Aleksandr Tarkhanov became head coach but resigned after two rounds. Sergey Pavlov took over. The team finished second behind Rostov, earning promotion to the Russian Premier League. Their stay was short, as they were relegated again in 2009 after finishing 15th. Kuban returned to the Premier League after winning against Zhemchuzhina on October 17, 2010, and drawing with Nizhny Novgorod on October 24.

Later Years and European Adventures (2010s)

Kuban started the 2011 Premier League season with a 2–0 home loss to Rubin Kazan. The club improved and qualified for the playoffs, securing a spot in the Premier League for the next season. Kuban finished eighth after the playoffs. During the break, coach Dan Petrescu moved to Dynamo Moscow.

In the 2012 Premier League season, Kuban began with a 2–1 away loss to Anzhi Makhachkala. Despite a coaching change, the club stayed in the top half of the league. They set a home attendance record with over 313,000 spectators in 15 matches. Kuban defeated Anzhi 1–0 on May 26, 2013, finishing fifth. This was the club's best Premier League finish. This performance also qualified them for the UEFA Europa League for the first time. At the end of the season, Kuban had the highest home-game attendance in the league.

On May 30, 2018, the Russian Football National League announced that Kuban could not get the license to play in the 2018–19 season. This meant the club could no longer play professionally. A former owner of the club faced legal challenges in February 2018.

On July 24, 2020, the Russian Football Union allowed a new club, FC Urozhay Krasnodar, to change its name to FC Kuban. However, this new club is not officially connected to the original FC Kuban and does not share its sporting history.

Honours

Domestic Competitions

• RSFSR Championship: 4
  • Winners: 1948, 1962, 1973, 1987
• Russian First Division:
  • Winners: 2010
  • Runners-up: 2003, 2006, 2008
• Russian Cup:
  • Runners-up: 2014–15

League Results

Soviet Union

Russia

Season	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	Europe		Top scorer (league)	Head coach
1992	1st	18	30	4	9	17	24	53	17	—	—		Lemish – 5	Marushkin I. V.Kaleshin
1993	2nd, "West"	15	42	15	8	19	62	84	38	R64	—		Gomleshko – 19	Nazarenko
1994	3rd, "West"	6	40	23	6	11	83	44	52	R256	—		Gerasimenko – 16	Nazarenko
1995		2	42	27	6	9	107	61	87	R128	—		Gerasimenko – 30	F. Novikov Brazhnikov
1996	2nd	10	42	15	14	13	65	60	59	R32	—		Shushlyakov – 15	Brazhnikov
1997		16	42	16	9	17	63	66	57	R512	—		Shushlyakov – 15	Brazhnikov
1998		20	42	10	13	19	42	68	43	R16	—		Suanov – 6	Sinau
1999	3rd, "South"	1	36	29	4	3	80	13	91	R128	—		Gabiskiria – 18	Yeshugov
2000		1	38	32	3	3	95	13	99	R128	—		Tsatskin – 14	Yeshugov Shcherbachenko
2001	2nd	3	34	16	12	6	56	29	60	R16	—		Teryokhin – 15	Dolmatov
2002		4	34	15	9	10	44	30	54	R16	—		Yermak – 5 Kiselyov – 5	Dolmatov Komarov
2003		2	42	27	5	10	75	38	86	R32	—		Biang – 13	Lagoida Yuzhanin
2004	1st	15	30	6	10	14	26	42	28	R16	—		Kantonistov – 8	Yuzhanin Yeshugov Nazarenko
2005	2nd	5	42	23	12	7	55	25	81	R16	—		Kantonistov – 11	Chovanec
2006		2	42	30	7	5	92	25	97	R32	—		Zebelyan – 23	Yakovenko
2007	1st	15	30	7	11	12	27	38	32	R32	—		O.Ivanov – 4 Kuzmichyov – 4 Laizāns – 4	Yeshugov
2008	2nd	2	42	27	6	9	84	36	87	R16	—		Zubko – 18	Protasov
2009	1st	15	30	6	10	14	23	51	28	R32	—		Traoré – 8	Ovchinnikov Galstyan
2010	2nd	1	38	24	8	6	51	20	80	R32	—		Davydov – 10	Petrescu
2011–12	1st	8	44	15	16	13	50	45	61	R32	—		Traoré – 18	Petrescu
2012–13	1st	5	30	14	9	7	48	28	51	QF	—		Popov – 9 Özbiliz – 9	Krasnozhan Kuchuk
2013–14	1st	8	30	10	8	12	40	42	38	R16	EL GS		Baldé – 7	Osinkin Munteanu Goncharenko
2014–15	1st	10	30	8	12	10	32	36	36	Runners-up	—		Baldé – 5	Goncharenko Kuchuk Sosnitskiy
2015–16	1st	14	30	5	11	14	34	44	26	Quarterfinal	—		Melgarejo – 8	Khokhlov Tashuyev Papikyan (caretacker) Osinkin
2016–17	2nd	7	38	14	13	11	44	37	55	R64	—		Gogniyev – 10	Yuzhanin

European Record

Season	Competition	Round	Opponent	Home	Away	Aggregate
2013–14	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Motherwell	1–0	2–0	3–0
		Play-off	Feyenoord	1–0	2–1	3–1
		Group A	Valencia	0–2	1–1	3rd place
			Swansea City	1–1	1–1
			St.Gallen	4–0	0–2

Kuban-2: The Reserve Team

Kuban also had a reserve team called FC Kuban-2 Krasnodar. This team joined the third-tier Russian Professional Football League for the 2016–17 season.

Managers