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Imagine being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better 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. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager glared 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'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"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 once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly 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 initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.