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

For 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 extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant 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.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge 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 remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, 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'

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd 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

Being close to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to 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, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

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

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a familiar gruff voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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