🔗 Share this article

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

To photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man 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.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page image.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with family members 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 "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"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 action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known 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 stray 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!"

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