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

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary choice: a perfect yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted 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, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

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

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an incident at a fiery 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 said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars 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 helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion 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!"

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