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Picture being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely decision: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

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

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a goalless 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 drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed 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. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page image.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

Despite her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close 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 legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond 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.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a familiar gruff voice came on the line and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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