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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal 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 unlikely decision: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

Preparing her flash, 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!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond 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.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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