Last updated: 14 October 2026 (newsletter sign-up added)
1. Who we are
Football Bloody Hell (“FBH”, “we”, “us”) is the football history website at https://footballbh.net.
The data controller is Ronnie Dog Media CommV, a Belgian limited partnership (commanditaire vennootschap). Its details are:
- Company number (KBO/BCE): 0693.988.181
- VAT number: BE 0693.988.181
- Registered office: Oude Vismijn 1, 9160 Lokeren, Belgium
- Contact for anything in this policy: chris@ronniedogmedia.com
Because Ronnie Dog Media is established in Belgium, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Belgian data protection law apply. Our lead supervisory authority is the Belgian Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit / Autorité de protection des données).
Many of our readers are in the UK. Where the UK GDPR applies to how we handle UK readers’ data, we follow it too. Ronnie Dog Media is not established in the UK, so it is not required to pay the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) data protection fee.
2. The short version
- You can read FBH without giving us any personal details.
- With your consent, we use Google Analytics to count visits and see which articles people read.
- If you use the contact form, we use what you send us to reply.
- If you join the newsletter waiting list, we use your email address only to tell you when the newsletter launches and to send it to you.
- We don’t sell your data, and we don’t use it for third-party advertising.
- You can ask to see, correct or delete your data at any time.
3. What we collect and why
| What | When | Why | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name, email, subject and message | You use the contact form at /contact-us/ | To reply to you and keep a record of the conversation | Legitimate interests (answering enquiries) |
| Email address and consent record (date, time, page) | You join the newsletter waiting list at /newsletter/ or elsewhere on the site | To tell you when the newsletter launches and email it to you | Consent (you can withdraw at any time) |
| Usage data: pages viewed, approximate location (city or country), device and browser type, how you arrived, collected through cookies | You browse the site and accept statistics cookies | To understand which articles people read and improve the site | Consent |
| IP address and basic server logs | Every visit | To keep the site running, secure and fast | Legitimate interests (security) |
Comments are switched off on FBH, so we don’t collect any comment data.
The FBH shop pages show our football t-shirts, posters and prints. There is no live checkout on the site, so we don’t take payments or collect order details through it.
We don’t knowingly collect data from children under 13.
4. Who we share it with
We only share what each service needs to do its job. Each one acts as our processor unless stated otherwise.
- Automattic Inc. (WordPress.com / WP Cloud) hosts and serves the site and keeps security logs.
- Google provides several services:
- Google Analytics 4 gives us visit statistics. It only runs once you accept statistics cookies, and is connected through Google Site Kit with Google Consent Mode.
- Google Search Console shows us how the site appears in search.
- Google Fonts are loaded from Google’s servers, so Google receives your IP address when a page loads.
- Email: contact-form messages and newsletter sign-ups are emailed to our team inbox (chris@ronniedogmedia.com) and stored in WordPress on our host. When the newsletter launches, the list will move to our own newsletter system (hosted in the EU) and be sent through Amazon SES (UK/EU region). Everyone on the list will be asked to confirm before the first issue.
- Getty Images provides some images embedded in articles. These load from Getty Images’ servers and may set Getty’s own cookies.
- Authorities receive data only where the law requires it.
International transfers
Some of these providers are based in the USA. Where data leaves the EU or UK, we rely on the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (and its UK Extension) or on standard contractual clauses.
5. Cookies and your consent
When you first visit, a cookie banner asks for your choice. It is powered by the Complianz consent plugin.
- Strictly necessary cookies are always on.
- Statistics cookies (Google Analytics) are only set if you accept them.
- Until you choose, Google Analytics runs in “consent denied” mode and sets no cookies.
- You can change or withdraw your choice at any time using the “Manage consent” link on the site.
| Cookie | Set by | Purpose | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
cmplz_* |
Complianz | Remembers your cookie choices (strictly necessary) | 365 days |
_ga, _ga_* |
Google Analytics, only with consent | Counts visits and distinguishes visitors | Up to 2 years |
wordpress_*, wp-settings-* |
WordPress | Used only by site editors who log in (strictly necessary) | Session to 14 days |
| Getty Images cookies | Embedded images | Set by Getty on pages that contain embeds | Set by Getty |
You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings.
6. How long we keep it
- Contact form messages: 24 months after our last reply.
- Newsletter sign-ups: until you unsubscribe, or 24 months if the newsletter hasn’t launched by then.
- Analytics data: no longer than 14 months (the maximum Google Analytics allows).
- Server and security logs: as set by our host, usually up to 30 days.
7. Your rights
You have the right to:
- see the data we hold about you (access);
- correct it;
- delete it;
- restrict how we use it;
- object to us using it;
- take it with you (data portability);
- withdraw consent at any time.
To use any of these rights, email chris@ronniedogmedia.com. We reply within one month.
If you’re unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to:
- the Belgian Data Protection Authority: www.dataprotectionauthority.be, contact@apd-gba.be, Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels;
- if you live in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk, 0303 123 1113.
We’d appreciate the chance to put things right first.
8. Security
The site runs over HTTPS. Only a small number of named people have admin access, and they use strong authentication.
9. Changes
When we update this policy, we change the date at the top. If a change is significant, we’ll flag it on the site.