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Imagine being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the 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 unlikely decision: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. 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 weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for better shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she knew 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!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was not always easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

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

The hazard also came from 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!"

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

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Feline Named Carrington

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

Informed of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. But, a recognisable gruff voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's directive, she took in the cat and christened her Carrington.