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Picture receiving an invitation to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a spot in the stands between 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

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

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. 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 frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with 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.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends 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!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish 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.