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

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man 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'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, 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 long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an arrest 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 stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran 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 family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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