The FA has been urged to withdraw from a community scheme involving the employment of recovering alcoholics as line-drawers for VAR replays.

Controversy reigned following Man Utd’s 2-0 FA Cup win at Huddersfield after Juan Mata’s offside goal was referred to a replay featuring lines apparently drawn by a particularly anxious toddler.

It has since emerged that the FA has been helping alcoholics to recover by taking them in on VFX duties during their drying out periods after kicking the booze.

Alan, a Huddersfield fan from Huddersfield, said: “One of the lines looped so waywardly that it left the field of play and entered my kitchen.

“The wife was livid – she doesn’t like being called offside at the best of times, let alone while she’s preparing dinner for the in-laws.

“It really took her off guard.”

Brian, an alcoholic from the Greater Manchester area, said: “Sorry about that, Alan.

“I had the shakes pretty bad.”