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Sometimes all it takes is an apology. Fulham have withdrawn their complaint against Liverpool relating to the USA star Clint Dempsey when he was a player at Craven Cottage, after receiving a written apology from the Anfield club.

The Cottagers lodged a complaint against Liverpool with the Premier League in the summer after getting the hump about the Reds' pursuit of their player.

There are regulations in place regarding the procedures that must be followed if a club wishes to table a bid for a player. Operating outside these procedures is in some cases referred to as 'tapping up'.

Fulham reported Liverpool to the Premier League this summer after the west London club became annoyed at the manner of the Reds' bid to sign Dempsey.

According to a Press Association report, the row started when a story appeared on the Fenway Sports Group website, claiming the USA international had joined Liverpool.

The PA report continues: Reds boss Brendan Rodgers then admitted enquiring about the forward, but failed to follow it up with a concrete bid, much to the annoyance of Martin Jol, who claimed Liverpool had unsettled the forward with their "embarrassing" conduct.

Fulham initially decided to press ahead with their complaint to the Premier League despite the fact that Dempsey eventually joined Tottenham, but they today decided to forget the matter after Liverpool chairman Tom Werner apologised to his Fulham counterpart Mohamed Al Fayed.

(Image: AFP)

A statement on Fulham's website read: "Fulham can confirm that it has today withdrawn the complaint made against Liverpool FC in regard to the Merseyside club's inappropriate actions surrounding interest in Clint Dempsey over the summer.

"Liverpool's chairman Tom Werner apologised personally to Mohamed Al Fayed, stating that his club were wholly responsible for unprofessional behaviour toward Fulham and emphasised his regret for the entire episode.

"In a letter from Liverpool to Fulham's CEO Alistair Mackintosh, Tom Werner's praise of the magnanimous gesture from the chairman was reiterated, as was the club's assurance that the conduct of Liverpool was simply not acceptable.

"The chairman decided that this sincere action was enough, and as a gesture of goodwill, instructed that all complaints against them be dropped."

It was a controversial transfer all round, with Dempsey reportedly very unhappy about how FULHAM had behaved during negotiations.