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Imagine being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable 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 return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent 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 final kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page image.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. 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'

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—including family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

"I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also 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 helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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