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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Kyle O'Sullivan

Donald Trump once did bizarre League Cup draw - and his picks caused a stir

Football fans are eagerly anticipating tonight's FA Cup fifth-round draw - with this weekend's results proving it's still a magical competition.

Big sides like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will discover their fate, as well as non-league side Wrexham.

The draw will be conducted during tonight's edition of The One Show, with it's presenter and former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas picking out the balls.

It won't be as surreal as the incredible draw for the 1992 League Cup quarter-finals, which was done by none other than Donald Trump.

Donald Trump did the League Cup quarter-final draw in 1992 (ITV)

The former US President used to play football, or should that be soccer, during his school days but isn't someone you'd naturally associate with the beautiful game.

It was actually the late, great Jimmy Greaves who managed to convince one of the most powerful men in the world to do the draw for what was then known as the Rumbelows Cup

ITV travelled all the way to New York for a special edition of the show Saint and Greavsie inside Trump Tower.

During the ITV documentary When Football Changed Forever, Jim Rosenthal recalled : "We're in New York City and we need to do the draw for the Rumbelows Cup - the League Cup - and I said I've got a number for Robert De Niro, I'll try him.

"And they came back. 'Bobby would love to do that for ya but he's otherwise engaged'.

"So we looked up, Trump Tower, let's try Donald Trump."

While inside Trump's famous building, Greaves joked: "I haven't seen a boardroom like this since I was in Doug Ellis' at Aston Villa."

It's hard to imagine Trump pairing the likes of Peterborough and Middlesbrough in the last eight of a major competition, but that's exactly what happened.

But the best moment was when The Apprentice star drew Leeds against bitter rivals Manchester United.

Giggling Greavsie shouted: "Oh, Donald - you don't realise what you've done!"

"That's a biggie," replied Trump, who added: "That sounds like a game I'd want to go to."

Fast-forward 30 years, and it's a very different celebrity from North America who is making waves in our cup competitions.

Reynolds watching Wrexham's draw with Sheffield United (Paul Currie/Colorsport/REX/Shutterstock)

Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds watched his Wrexham side draw against Sheffield United after conceding an agonising stoppage time equaliser.

Before the game, Wrexham would have bitten your hand off for a 3-3 draw, considering they sit 70 places below the Blades in the football pyramid.

But they thought they had snatched victory with just minutes remaining, only for their Championship opponents to level the score in the dying seconds.

Reynolds' joy, anguish and excitement was caught on camera - with footage of his celebrations being shown by the BBC.

After the game, the Deadpool actor paid tribute to Wrexham fans and claimed the game was "one of the most exciting things" he's ever seen.

They earnt a rematch at Bramall Lane and will be in the pot for tonight's fifth-round draw, which will not be conducted by Trump.

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