Sharing a Dugout with Ferguson and Getting 'Knocked Out' – A Photographer's Tales

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

For photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes 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 asked, "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 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 crying 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. True to form, the manager looked at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

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

Regardless of her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—including family members 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 frequently "singled out" 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 broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, 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. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known 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 stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 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 adopted the cat and christened her Carrington.