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Picture being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant 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.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

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 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 final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, 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!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from 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 even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

To her relief, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats once grew thanks to an unexpected 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. However, a recognisable gruff voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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