Sitting with Ferguson and Getting 'Knocked Out' – A Photographer's Stories

Imagine being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

To photographer Magi Haroun, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man 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'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

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 rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be 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 left sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-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!"

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

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

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was frequently "picked on" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, 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 at first ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise 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 familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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