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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. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, though 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 missed the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager looked 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 relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be respected and felt she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "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 legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family 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.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar gruff voice took the phone and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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