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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman 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 return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, 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 "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be furious. True to form, 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'

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery 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

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

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

Yet, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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