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Imagine being invited 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 torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his assistant 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.

'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 describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

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

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page photograph.

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

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

Regardless of 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 far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an incident 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

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran 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 collection of multiple cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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