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Picture receiving an invitation to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. What would you do?

For photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun describes never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery 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 said.

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close 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 danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, 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 accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "perfect picture" she had hoped for.

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her collection 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 hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she took in the cat and christened her Carrington.