Chelsea have admitted their "regret" at not giving more consideration to allegations against referee Mark Clattenburg made by their players.
The admission follows a meeting which took place on Monday afternoon at St George's Park between Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the Premier League and Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.
The FA dismissed complaints last week that Clattenburg had abused Jonn Obi Mikel during Chelsea's defeat to Manchester United in October.
In return the referees say they understand the club was duty-bound to make a complaint given the allegations.
A joint statement made by all parties said: "There was a constructive and open discussion. The club regrets not having given more consideration before issuing a statement on the evening of Sunday 28th October.
"The club also regrets the subsequent impact the intense media scrutiny had on Mark Clattenburg and his family.
"The referees accept that, given Chelsea FC had received a good faith claim from one of their employees, the club had an obligation under FA rules to report the allegation.
"There was recognition by all parties that the impartiality and integrity of refereeing in this country remains paramount.
"Chelsea FC made it clear they would welcome Mark Clattenburg back to Stamford Bridge in the future and PGMOL would have no issue in appointing him to a Chelsea FC match going forward.
"It was a thoroughly professional meeting. All parties now believe it is time to draw a line under this incident, learn from it and move on for the good of all Premier League clubs, players and match officials."
Former Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United midfielder Speed was found dead at his Cheshire home at the age of 42, provoking an outpouring of grief for a man liked and respected throughout the football community.
Staff at the Football Association of Wales, including current Wales boss Chris Coleman, today met to remember Speed at the governing body's headquarters in Cardiff.
Flowers were laid while an image of Speed outside the building was lit up.
Several Wales players and coaching staff were among those to pay tribute on Twitter to the man who had guided Wales to four wins from his last five games in charge.
Tottenham star Gareth Bale, posted: "Remembering Gary Speed 1 year on ?RIP", while Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley tweeted: "A year ago today a legend left us, but will never be forgotten. Rip Gary speed."
Striker Robert Earnshaw, who played alongside Speed for Wales, said: "Remembering GarySpeed today.R.I.P. I learnt alot from him."
John Hartson, another of Speed's former team-mates, now part of Coleman's backroom staff, tweeted: "It's one year today since we lost a wonderful man. My thoughts today are with his family.. God bless."
There was also a message from Sepp Blatter. A post on the FIFA president's official Twitter site read: "Thoughts with Gary Speed's family 1 year on from his passing. Sadly missed by the game he served with such distinction"
All of Speed's former clubs posted messages in his memory and there will be a minute's silence at Elland Road, where Speed began his career and won the 1992 league title, ahead of Leeds' Championship fixture against Leicester this evening.
Former Wales midfielder Matt Jones took part in a 24-hour cycle in memory of Speed.
The 32-year-old had already completed a series of half-marathons, the London marathon, a run up and down Mount Snowdon, and a sky-dive, raising thousands of pounds for charities supported by Speed, including the Bobby Robson Foundation, the John Hartson Foundation and the Spinal Injuries Association.
The Hoops boss dramatically threatened to quit the club after an altercation with several disgruntled supporters during the shock 1-0 Scottish Premier League defeat by Inverness at Parkhead on Sunday.
Caley's first league win in the east end of Glasgow was met by a chorus of boos by the home fans but despite the champions having dropped 17 points - four less than in the whole of last season - they remain top of the SPL by one point and can look forward to a Champions League Group G decider against Spartak Moscow next week.
Ahead of Wednesday night's trip to Hearts, the former Celtic skipper reflected on the weekend's events with the help of some humour.
"I regret it, yes, of course," said Lennon. "It's not something I want to do.
"But if I think it (criticism) is unjustified I will voice my opinion.
"I am defending my team. I know it is difficult for fans because they are passionate about the team and want them to do well but sometimes it doesn't help.
"I wasn't getting any stick personally, it was directed towards the team and I was defending the team because they are giving me everything.
"I think the world of my players and think the world of my supporters as well.
"But if I was the manager of Accrington Stanley I would do exactly the same time - although the way the results are going, I might soon be."
The Northern Irishman knows from his time as a battling midfielder at Celtic Park that criticism comes with the territory but he insists there is "no division" between him and the supporters.
He said: "We are not happy with our recent home form but we are progressing, we are still in four competitions, we are top of the league albeit not playing as consistently as we would like.
"So at times we need a wee bit of patience but you don't always get that at big clubs, and I understand that.
"I'm sure we had our bad spells under Martin (O'Neill) and Gordon (Strachan).
"I can remember coming back from the San Siro after we lost to a Kaka goal in the last 16 of the Champions League (against AC Milan), and then we lost an Old Firm game 1-0 after playing quite well.
"We were getting dog's abuse although we were still 13 points clear at the time.
"So sometimes you set the bar high and if you don't meet the expectations the fans do voice their opinions, which they are entitled to do.
"If the support are not happy with what they are seeing and voice their displeasure then I will review my situation. That's always been the case from day one.
"But there is no division here. I was expressing an opinion.
"I think they are right to expect us to win at home against Inverness, Kilmarnock and St Johnstone.
"We expect that as well and it is obviously an area we have to improve on."
A lack of atmosphere against Inverness was accentuated by the absence of the Green Brigade, the vociferous and occasionally controversial section of the Hoops support who boycotted the match after claiming they had been subject to "oppressive police tactics."
It is understood the Green Brigade, which number a few thousand, will also boycott Saturday's home Scottish Cup tie against Arbroath but Lennon would like to speak to the group's leaders to help resolve the situation.
"There is no doubt that they do bring something special to the stadium," he said.
"We want them back.
"I understand some of the reasons why they didn't come to the game.
"But we would like to sort it out with dialogue, come to some sort of conclusion and get them back supporting the team as they have brought so much to the club and the stadium, they have been so much help to the players and myself since I have been in charge."
A spokesperson for Strathclyde Police said: "We're aware of the comments on a number of social networking sites in relation to allegations of police harassment.
"We categorically deny that any particular group is unfairly targeted and if anyone thinks they have been unjustly treated they should feel confident in making a complaint. "
Meanwhile, Lennon will continue to monitor United States international striker Juan Agudelo.
The 20-year-old Chivas USA player has been training at Lennoxtown during the Major League Soccer close season.
The Hoops boss said: "He is a player who has impressed us and we hope to take it further.
"He has done very well in the two weeks he has been here.
"He needs a break because he has had a long season but we hope to speak to his representatives over the next week but again, it is too early to say one way or the other."
Lennon is also looking at Frank Acheampong, a 19-year-old left winger with one cap for Ghana, but said: "We need longer to assess Frank."
The injury-hit Magpies head for Stoke on Wednesday night desperate to avoid a fourth successive Premier League defeat and becalmed by a run which has severely dented their hopes of matching last season's top-five finish.
The loss of central defender Steven Taylor and midfielder Yohan Cabaye until February has significantly extended an already lengthy casualty list and darkened the clouds hanging over St James' Park.
However, Pardew insists neither he nor his players can afford to doubt their own ability if they are to stage a fightback ahead of a difficult fixture list as 2012 draws to a close, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal all waiting in the wings.
He said: "No, of course, and you can't doubt your risk-taking, because actually, that's what it affects as a player.
"When they say people are struggling with confidence, I always think it's are struggling with risk-taking because you don't take risks, you play safe and sometimes when you play safe, you don't get any reward.
"There's a balance between really working hard and risk-taking, and that's what we need to get right at Stoke.
"We are certainly not panicking, but we need to be conscious of where we are in the division and that we have got tough games around the corner.
"We are going to need to kick into gear - and kick into gear with some key players missing, by the way.
"That means we have all got to work that little bit harder."
Newcastle have not lost four consecutive top-flight games since the 2008-09 season, at the end of which they were relegated, and the current run of form is starkly out of character with that which they have enjoyed throughout Pardew's reign to date.
The 51-year-old has enjoyed an extended honeymoon period with fans who largely did not initially welcome his appointment almost two years ago, and he admits the current situation is his toughest yet in the job.
He said: "Yes, for sure. I don't think you need luck to win games - you like to think that the ability of your players is good enough.
"But you don't need a run of bad luck, and that's what we have had in terms of injuries.
"Forget about the Europa League, we have suffered injuries regardless of that, but those games on top of those injuries have really compounded the issue.
"But we can't moan about it. We have got what we have got and we are going to have to get on with it.
"It's time to roll our sleeves up and show our fans how much it means to us to wear the jersey and represent Newcastle."
Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Southampton was arguably one of the poorest performances during the manager's tenure, and there were even murmurings over his continued presence among the more trigger-happy users of some social media platforms after the game.
Pardew said: "The new media of Twitter and Facebook are accelerating the process of pressure on managers and players.
"We have got it here - we have lost three games and it's starting to build here very, very quickly, and I think it stems from that source.
"Unfortunately, little campaigns are run that grow into something that perhaps [new Chelsea manager Rafael] Benitez fell into at the weekend.
"It's very, very difficult, but we have to deal with it. That's our job and the most important thing is to focus on our teams, focus on what we can do to improve it.
"Now we have got some improving here to do, we will make no mistake about that, not just myself and my coaching team, but my players too.
"We are conscious that we need to get a couple of results really quickly."
The Spaniard left Goodison Park for the Gunners in a ?10million deal on the final day of the summer transfer window last year after six years playing for the Scot.
Moyes admits when he first brought in Arteta from Real Sociedad, after a two-year spell with Rangers, he was unsure how well he would fare.
However, he now sees Arteta as a key player and one of the leaders in Arsene Wenger's side, the visitors on Wednesday.
"I'm not surprised. He is a very gifted footballer, he is a great lad to work with," said Moyes.
"I think the manager (Wenger) was probably surprised what he offers: he is a great professional, a really good footballer and I'll be delighted to see him back - just disappointed it is in an Arsenal jersey.
"I see Mikel now and when they are having a bit of a huddle he is the one who is the leader and I think they look to him, he has taken on a lot of the leadership qualities in that side.
"He was part of the rebuilding process that had to take place at Everton when we tried to develop the team and move it on.
"We took Mikel on loan from Real Sociedad after he'd been at Rangers and it hadn't quite worked for him.
"We were a bit unsure when he first came here. He was a bit lightweight to play in the middle and so we played him off the side and he was great there for us, he really was.
"Eventually he moved on to be a real key figure in that period and was a big part of us developing and moving Everton forward."
Arsenal were the last team to beat the Toffees at Goodison in the league, last March.
Since then they are 10 unbeaten on home turf, and although a run of one win in their last seven matches has curtailed what was a promising start to the campaign, Moyes is confident it has given them a platform on which to build their season.
"We are going to try to push," added the Scot, whose fifth-placed team are just a point ahead of the Gunners.
"A club like Everton are not out of their depth in Europe and we have to try to push to do that as we've missed out the last couple of years.
"Arsenal are a good team and that is why they continually finish in a Champions League spot so it is a tough game.
"We have been playing quite well and no-one gets an easy time at Goodison."
Earlier in the season Moyes had tried to play down his side's start to the season by insisting they be judged after 10 matches.
Now after 13 league fixtures - which included five draws in the last seven - he insists a longer-term view needs to be applied to the team's achievements.
"I think you measure Everton over the period of 10 years of what they have done," he said.
"If you measured us last year you would say we were rubbish this time last year.
"And this time last season Arsenal were not doing very well and they went on to finish in the top four."
Chelsea supporters made their dissatisfaction clear over the appointment of Benitez as interim head coach at the weekend when they jeered the Spaniard and chanted the name of the man he replaced, Roberto Di Matteo, before the Blues' 0-0 draw against Manchester City.
Benitez was not the only manager to feel the heat from the terraces as Arsenal boss Wenger was also jeered for his decision to substitute Olivier Giroud for Francis Coquelin during their goalless draw at Aston Villa on Saturday.
Villas-Boas himself has been subjected to boos from some Spurs fans on occasion this season, but he insists supporters should be entitled to air their views if they think something is not right with their club.
Villas-Boas, who was sacked by Chelsea after less than nine months in charge of the club, told a press conference: "The fans have the right to everything in my opinion.
"They are the ones who breathe the biggest passion for the football club, they are the essence and they breathe the values of the football club.
"They are entitled to whatever they want to say or chant; disappointment, belief, encouragement, positiveness.
"It is all down to them, football is about them, it is about their passion. They have the right more than anybody to show that.
"(As a manager) you have to take it. Sometimes we don't like what we hear but that's life."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has not suffered the same fate as Benitez and Wenger so far this season despite the Reds' mixed start to the season.
Rodgers, who signed a three-year deal at Anfield this summer, has only been able to guide Liverpool to 11th in the Premier League so far this season after a summer of upheaval on Merseyside.
Rodgers allowed 11 of his players to leave in the transfer window and put his faith in a raft of promising youngsters like Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom and Spanish forward Suso.
Villas-Boas will take on the Northern Irishman on Wednesday when Liverpool come to White Hart Lane and he is convinced both he and Rodgers will do well at their respective clubs because of the time they spent together under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.
"I met Brendan on a coaching course," the 35-year-old said.
"I did not know we would cross paths again, but we did in 2004 when he was at Chelsea as a youth team coach.
"It has happened differently for both of us but we have both been lucky that we have been able to work with a top manager which has enabled us to strengthen our knowledge and use that experience.
"He is in a position where he deserves to be in with a bright future."
The main reason why Rodgers is not embroiled in a relegation battle this season is because of the form of Luis Suarez, who has scored 13 goals in 19 appearances.
Villas-Boas is fully aware of the danger that Suarez, who has reportedly attracted the interest of Manchester City this season, will pose in tomorrow's game at White Hart Lane.
"He is an extremely good player. The amount of riot he creates up front on his own is absolutely incredible," Villas-Boas said.
"His range of movements is immense. He has a strong mentality and that's what makes him the great player he is."
Villas-Boas has had a rampaging striker of his own to rely upon this season in Jermain Defoe.
Defoe scored his ninth and 10th goals of the season on Sunday in Tottenham's impressive 3-1 win over West Ham and Villas-Boas could not be happier with the 30-year-old's contribution so far this term.
"I'm extremely happy with him," the Spurs manager said.
"He is an excellent professional and works hard with a smile on his face.
"He has an extreme hunger for goal, which you require from your striker."
Earlier this month Mancini walked into one of his press conferences wearing a Platt mask, a jovial reference to his recent habit of asking his number two to speak on his behalf.
And it was Platt again who addressed reporters as City previewed their midweek Premier League trip to Wigan.
The former England midfielder claimed it had nothing to do with the fact it was the Italian's birthday, but said there was work to do with the game coming just three days after the last.
Platt said: "It's not just his birthday, the games are coming thick and fast and his words are in the system."
Platt went on to speak positively about the champions' defence, with Sunday's goalless draw at Chelsea bringing a fifth clean sheet in seven Premier League games.
Among their key performers has been 19-year-old defender Nastasic, who is now blocking the return of fit-again England centre-back Joleon Lescott to the team.
The Serbian, signed from Fiorentina on deadline day in August, has started the last seven matches in all competitions.
Lescott missed part of that sequence with a back injury but has been back in contention for the last three games.
Platt said: "That is testament to him (Nastasic). He has stepped in. The first couple of games he has had to get used to English football but he has done that very quickly.
"The really, really good performance - he has had several good ones - but the real one where it might have been a bit alien to him was when we went down to West Ham.
"You knew the ball was coming in, they were hitting the diagonal balls towards Andy Carroll and I thought he acquitted himself exceptionally well.
"You get that a lot in the Premier League that you don't get in Serie A and it shows there is an old head on young shoulders to adapt to that."
Lescott did not even make the bench at Stamford Bridge with Kolo Toure preferred as back-up central defender, but Platt does not think much should read into that.
He said: "Joleon is fine. He will be available for selection like he was available for selection at the weekend.
"He has been available for selection for a few games, but we can only put 11 on the pitch."
City also have no worries about the fitness of key defender and captain Vincent Kompany.
There were suggestions the Belgian could be rested after defying the knee injury suffered in last week's Champions League clash against Real Madrid to play 90 minutes at Chelsea.
But the 26-year-old, who was outstanding at Stamford Bridge, has not suffered any reaction that would prevent him playing again.
Platt said: "It's not a case of it being too much at all. Vinnie would have still been feeling the effects of the injury that he picked up last Wednesday in the game but he got through the game and got through it very well.
"We don't really have any concerns for him tomorrow night."
While City were solid at the weekend, they were also frustrated at their failure to convert any chances.
They have not reproduced the brilliance of the early part of their last campaign, when by this stage, 13 games, they had scored 43 goals, 11 more than their current tally.
Platt said: "You can't draw comparisons to last season. I don't know how many goals we are down from last season, but we were setting records left, right and centre last season so that was a false thing.
"We would like to have a few more of course because it would have got those extra victories, but 13 games gone, one point off the top, still unbeaten; there's enough in there to be pleased about."
Platt is taking little notice of the league table ahead of the clash at the DW Stadium.
Wigan have won just four games and remain in the lower reaches of the table, but Platt feels they have produced some eye-catching play.
"They are all tricky games," he said. "Wigan have a great deal of belief in themselves and have even when they haven't got results.
"Roberto Martinez puts that into his teams. He wants them to play, they make the field very big when in possession and because of that they can cause you problems."
