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Picture receiving an invitation to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a crucial 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 faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

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

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be 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 superior shots.

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

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" 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.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "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 celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline 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.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 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.