Imagine receiving an invitation to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the 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 faced with an unlikely choice: 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 top-division 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 return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.
Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.
After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.
Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. 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 long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.
She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with 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.
Remembering the Wright Way
Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.
The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"
However, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.
Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.
A Feline Named Carrington
Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family 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.
Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"
Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she took in the cat and named her Carrington.
