🔗 Share this article

Imagine being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing 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 instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page image.

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

"It was me that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from 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, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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