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

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands 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 chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. 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 "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better 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. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page image.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "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 family members having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

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

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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