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Picture receiving an invitation to sit next to 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 became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual 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 just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page image.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—with 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 felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

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 also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "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 told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist 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 familiar gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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