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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 crucial European match. What would you do?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page image.

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

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

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with family members 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 "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 fan trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker 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 arms outstretched, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats once 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 was caring for 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 adopted the cat and named her Carrington.