PENISTONE Church received a signed shirt from Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon through the post this week.

Both the ninth-tier Barnsley club and the 21-time Portuguese champions were founded in 1906 so have celebrated their 120th anniversary this year.

The official letter from Sporting congratulated Church on their anniversary and added: “Like your club, we are also a club that places great emphasis on youth development and in grassroots football.

“We are fully aware of the importance that grassroots football has for success at the highest level as well as the social role within the wider community.

“We would like again to extend our very best wishes for continued happiness and success to your club.”

The shirt was signed by the current sporting squad which contains the likes of Rui Silva, Gonçalo Inácio and Francisco Trincão who are all in the Portugal squad for this summer’s World Cup.

It was posted to former referee and ex-president of Penistone Church Keith Hackett, now the president of their league the NCEL, who then presented it to the club’s secretary Dave Hampshire.

Church have had an interesting summer, having appointed former EFL goal machine Jordan Rhodes as their club ambassador.

They have produced a series of professional players over their history, including John Stones who is in the England squad for the World Cup plus Marc Roberts and Jack Shepherd who played together as Barnsley’s centre-backs at times last season.

Church are currently in the off-season with the new NCEL campaign to begin on July 25.

They will be joined in the Premier Division by newly-promoted Dearne and District and Worsbrough Bridge.