🔗 Share this article

Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside 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 storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his assistant 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 scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest 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. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager looked at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

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

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be respected and felt she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

"It was me 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 "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats once 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 familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "Magi, take the cat!"

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