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Picture receiving an invitation to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of 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 extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual 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 second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing 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 called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred 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 seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing 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 glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She struggled to be respected and felt she was often "singled out" by stewards 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 I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. 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. Before 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 opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned 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 directive, she adopted the cat and christened her Carrington.