🔗 Share this article Sharing a Dugout with Sir Alex and Getting 'Knocked Out' – A Lenswoman's Stories Sir Alex Ferguson posing with the top-flight trophy. Imagine receiving an invitation to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react? For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd. As the pioneering woman 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' After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down. Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be 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 lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page image. Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager looked at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!" A historic football figure associated with Manchester United. 'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman' Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy. She struggled to be respected and believed she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted. "I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated. Jubilant football stars in celebration. Remembering the Wright Way Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" 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 also left her dazed. 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. Before 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. Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned. A Feline Named Carrington An adopted cat from a well-known football facility. Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground. Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!" Heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she took in the cat and christened her Carrington. Footballers in a competitive mid-air challenge.