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

For photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a dry seat between 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail 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 spent the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"I was the one 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 physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

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 the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

Heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's command, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.