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Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. How would you react?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect yet wet shooting position or a dry seat flanked by 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

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

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

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager looked 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'

Regardless of her deep family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

"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

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

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. After one such incident, 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family of seven 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 abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable gruff voice took the phone and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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