🔗 Share this article

Picture being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. How would you react?

For photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: 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 top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She chose 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 describes never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "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 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 felt she was frequently "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a fiery 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.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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