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Imagine being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. How would you react?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. 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, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager glared at her and warned, "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 family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." 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 said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, 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. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member 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 took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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