Orsha

FC Orsha is a football club based in Orsha, Vitebsk Oblast. The team was founded in 1951 as Trud Orsha. The club was renamed to ZShM in 1956 and then to Mashinostroitel Orsha in 1960. In 1965 the club was renamed to Start Orsha. The 60s and the 70s were the most successful years for the club, as they won the Vitebsk Oblast league in 1968, 1970, 1972 and 1977 as well as the Vitebsk Oblast cup in 1961, 1971, 1972 and 1976. In 1971, they reached the final of the Belarusian SSR Cup. They played in the Belarusian SSR top league from 1971 until 1985. In 1992, the team was renamed to Legmash Orsha and joined the newly created Belarusian Second League. In 1994, the team was renamed to Maxim-Legmash Orsha due to sponsorship. After a successful 1995 season, Maxim-Legmash was promoted to the First League. Before the start of the 1996 season, the 'Legmash' part of the name was dropped due to Legmash plant withdrawal from team support and the team spent one season as Maxim-Orsha before being renamed again into FC Orsha in 1997. At the end of 2001, Orsha withdrew to the amateur level (Vitebsk Oblast championship) due to financial troubles. The team returned in 2004, once again joining the Second League. The first post-return season was quite successful and Orsha was promoted to the First League for the 2005 season, but they quickly relegated back and since 2006 onwards, they've been playing in the Second League. In 2006, the team was known as Orsha-BelAutoService. Since 2014, they play in the First League.