🔗 Share this article

Picture being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. What would you do?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat 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'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, 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 deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She struggled to be respected and believed she was often "picked on" 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 erupted.

"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 very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected 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. However, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "Magi, take the cat!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's command, she adopted the cat and christened her Carrington.