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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. What would you do?

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

As the first female 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 goalless 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 likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if 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 crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

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

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

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

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

Fortunately, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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