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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a crucial European match. How would you react?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: a perfect 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 Premier League accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

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

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 spent the remainder of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, 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'

Regardless of her deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She struggled to be respected and believed she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

"It was me that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "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 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!"

However, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

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

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a familiar gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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