Sitting with Ferguson and Being 'Knocked Out' – The Lenswoman's Stories

Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked 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 relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an incident at a fiery 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.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" 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 also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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