The Northern Football League Privacy Notice
The Northern Football League uses personal data (information that relates to and identifies living people) and other information to help us carry out our functions as a football league in the National League System administered by the Football Association.
Our role is to administer and ensure the efficient running of the league by ensuring that players are registered with the Football Association and county football associations.
We are committed to protecting privacy when we collect information about individuals. When using this type of information, we follow the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018, as well as guidance issued from the Football Association and the Information Commissioner’s Office.
We will ensure that the data we hold is:
- used fairly and lawfully,
- used for limited, specifically-stated purposes,
- used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive,
- accurate and up-to-date,
- kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary,
- handled according to people’s data protection rights, and
- kept safe and secure.
Except where stated, the Northern Football League will only process personal data where it is necessary for the purposes of our own legitimate interests, and where such processing protects the rights of you the Data Subject.
How we will use the information you give us
Player Registration
The Northern Football League undertakes the registration and transfer of players for all clubs within our league on behalf of the Football Association and county football associations. We collect the required information as laid out in the laws and guidelines of the Football Association.
This includes the submission of player information to the league upon the completion of each match by club secretaries.
The data you provide will be shared with the Football Association and county football associations solely for the purpose of registering and/or transferring your registration as a player. It is processed for the legitimate interests of the Northern Football League without prejudice to you as an individual.
If you do not want to provide your information, the Northern Football League will not be able to register you as a player under the laws of the Football Association. The registration form will be retained for five years, but other data is retained longer for archiving purposes.
Contact with the Public
The Northern Football League receives contact from members of the public in relation to league functions. We will not undertake any direct marketing of individuals without prior, documented consent.
We will only use your personal data to respond to your queries, and where appropriate your contact will be forwarded to the appropriate league official to respond to. Once a response has been sent, we will retain a copy of our response until the end of the current season.
Referees Appointments
The Northern Football League will be provided with details of the appropriate referee appointments by the appropriate footballing bodies and by the clubs on submitted team sheets. The data will be retained for five years, but other data may be retained longer for archiving purposes.
Northern Football League Management Committee (LMC)/Volunteers
The Northern Football League will hold details of all individuals who are members of the LMC and its volunteers. Such information will only be used to administer and ensure the efficient running of the league and not be used in ways inconsistent with that purpose.
Club Officials
The Northern Football League will hold some details of individuals who are designated club officials. Such information will only be used to administer and ensure the efficient running of the league and not be used in ways inconsistent with that purpose.
Names and contact details of club chairman, secretary, press officer and programme editor will be published in the league handbook which is also made available on the Northern Football League website.
Suppliers of Goods and Services
The Northern Football League will hold details of suppliers of goods and services which will include contact details, names, email, addresses and social media for individuals employed by those companies. We will only process such information where necessary for the performance of a contract. Retention of such information will be held for up to 7 years to meet with appropriate financial regulations.
Complaints and Rights
All Data Subjects have the right to:
- Request access to your personal data
- Request rectification of the personal data that we hold about you
- Request erasure of your personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it
- Object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing, or where we are processing on the grounds of a legitimate interest of that interest is over-ridden by your rights and freedoms
- Request restriction of processing of your personal data while we establish the data’s accuracy or verify an overriding interest to object to processing; where our use of the data has been unlawful, but you do not want us to erase it; where you need us to hold the data to establish, exercise or defend legal claims
- Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format
- Withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your personal data
- Complain at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (www.ico.org.uk)
If you are unhappy about how The Northern Football League processes your own personal data, wish to exercise your rights in relation to your personal data, or need to contact us about our processing of personal data, please use the contact details below.
If you feel that we have not met our responsibilities under data protection law, you have a right to request an independent assessment from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Security of data
The Northern Football League is committed to protecting your privacy and has put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed.
Personal data may in some circumstances flow over public networks (such as email) without full security measures and could be accessible to unauthorised persons.
Sharing of Personal Data
The Northern Football League is required to share information with the Football Association and county football associations, for the purpose of the administration of the league. We may on occasion be asked to share information with other public bodies with a statutory function, or with law enforcement powers. This will only be done where absolutely necessary and where a lawful purpose for sharing exists.
Third party links
The Northern Football League website may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We encourage our users to be aware of this when they leave our website and to read the privacy statements applicable on those sites. This privacy policy does not apply to information collected on third parties’ sites.
Contact Us
The Northern Football League does not require a Data Protection Officer, however, should you need more information, or wish to invoke your data protection rights, please contact us by email at: gdpr@northernfootballleague.org