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Picture receiving an invitation to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

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: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

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

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

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

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

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

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

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

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "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 legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

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

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a recognisable gruff voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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