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

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

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

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

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

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

Despite her long-standing 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 struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, 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 scored, but at first ran the wrong way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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