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Imagine receiving an invitation to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during 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 extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands 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 chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

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

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her deep family ties 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 struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" 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 broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of multiple cats once 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 already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable gruff voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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