Managed to get a Football Association referee's card (5)

I believe the answer is:

fared

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'managed' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'get a football association referee's card' is the wordplay.
'get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a football association' becomes 'FA' (abbreviation).
'referee's card' becomes 'red' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'fa' next to 'red' is 'FARED'.

'to' acts as a link.

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(Other definitions for fared that I've seen before include "Proceeded, made out" , "Got on, managed" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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