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

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: a perfect but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She chose the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

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

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "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 were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked at her and warned, "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 overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "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 told legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright realised, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection of multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist 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 recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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