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

For photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely decision: an ideal yet wet 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, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

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 spent the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, 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 male-dominated field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable gruff 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.