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Picture receiving an invitation 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 became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a dry seat between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun recalls witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, 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 telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

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

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

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing 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 found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"I was the one that got arrested because I'm the weakest link, I'm a woman," she stated.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa 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 reportedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of seven cats once grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

Heeding Sir Alex Ferguson's command, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.