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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?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League 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 second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—with family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. 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 accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, 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 dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a familiar gruff voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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