Sitting with Ferguson and Being 'Knocked Out' – A Lenswoman's Tales

Picture receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, 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, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly 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 told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 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.