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Imagine being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: an ideal but soggy vantage point 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 second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest 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. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "Do that, 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 chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She struggled to be respected and felt she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." 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 very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "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 iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known cat lover. 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.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.