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

For photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely decision: 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, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent 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 failed to convert the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. 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'

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

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

"I was the one 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 physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. 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 wrong way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion 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 reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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