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Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a crucial European match. What would you do?

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual 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 weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager looked at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a volatile 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.

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 Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. 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 at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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