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

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

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

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager looked at her and declared, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

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

Regardless of her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" by security and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

"I was the one 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 pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "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 celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a recognisable 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.