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

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

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

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 remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left crying 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. As expected, the manager glared at her and warned, "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 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 taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise 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. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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