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Imagine being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"It was me that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of multiple cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.