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Imagine receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an extraordinary choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands 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 opted for 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 describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted 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 passed the rest of the match there, though 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 seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager glared at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her deep family connections to Manchester United—with 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 respected and believed she was frequently "picked on" 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 crowd trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa 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 quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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