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Picture being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. How would you react?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

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

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun recalls 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 spent the remainder of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated 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 potential back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "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 chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity 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 also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. 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 accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion 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 already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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