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Imagine receiving an invitation to sit 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 horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League 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 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 "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page image.

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal 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 unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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