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Imagine being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose 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 describes witnessing rain like it. 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 instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. 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 long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination came to a head with an incident at a volatile 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.

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times sent her sprawling. 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 accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of multiple 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. However, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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