🔗 Share this article

Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. How would you react?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary 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 opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred 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 crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, 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'

Regardless of her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—including relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination 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 I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "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 legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family 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 was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar gruff voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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