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Picture being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between 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 opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic 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 asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

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

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

Despite her deep family connections 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 respected and felt she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

"I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with physical 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 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. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known 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.

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

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