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Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during 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 sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual 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 recalls 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 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 lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

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

Despite her long-standing 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 found it tough to be respected and felt she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close 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 hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her family of multiple cats once 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 reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a familiar gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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