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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

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 spent the rest of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

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

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

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

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

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

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

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, 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 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.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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