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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 pivotal European match. What would you do?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be 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 superior shots.

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

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "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—including relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and felt she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a fiery 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.

Remembering the Wright Way

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

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. 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 told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family 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 reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable gruff voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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