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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After 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 failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. 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'

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—including relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Remembering 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 danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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