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Picture being invited to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the 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. Soaked from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely 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 all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

Following a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing 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 telling her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the remainder of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she thought 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 deep family connections to Manchester United—including family members having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd 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 very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin at times left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—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 directive, she adopted the cat and named her Carrington.