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Picture being invited to take a seat next to 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 sideways rain, she was faced 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, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted 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 spent the remainder of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

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

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

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

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—with family members having served as directors—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This came to a head with an incident at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 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 adopted the cat and named her Carrington.