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Imagine being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. How would you react?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. 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 as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—including relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She struggled to be respected and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as 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 "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's command, she took in the cat and christened her Carrington.