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Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

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

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture 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.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her deep family connections to Manchester United—with relatives 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 felt she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her family of multiple cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 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 directive, she took in the cat and christened her Carrington.