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Imagine being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

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

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

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 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 decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This even led to 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 stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

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

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

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven 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 hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a familiar gruff voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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