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Imagine being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react?

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual 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 just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come 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 decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, 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'

Despite her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest 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 said.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, 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 helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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