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Imagine receiving an invitation to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial 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: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for 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 conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, 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 "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

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

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

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

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—including relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

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

Told of an stray 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 took in the cat and christened her Carrington.