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Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester 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. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary choice: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division 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 conditions. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed 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 were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page image.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, 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 relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats once 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. But, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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