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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page image.

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

Regardless of her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This 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.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family 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.

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

Heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she adopted the cat and christened her Carrington.