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Imagine being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect yet wet 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.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. 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 instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was seen crying 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 furious. 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 deep family connections 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 struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as 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 "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "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 scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her family of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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