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Picture receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

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

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager glared 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'

Regardless of her deep family connections to Manchester United—including relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She struggled to be respected and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger also came from 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, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of seven cats once 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 was caring for 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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