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Imagine being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of 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 sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman 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'

After a scoreless 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 breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though 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 potential front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager glared at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her deep family ties to Manchester United—with 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 often "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an arrest 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.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks 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 left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "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 iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—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!"

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