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

To photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was presented with an extraordinary decision: an ideal yet wet vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his right-hand man 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 conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of breaking down.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

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

With her flash ready, she thought 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 deep family ties 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 found it tough to be respected and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was on one occasion "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. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, 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 at first ran the wrong way.

Fortunately, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. 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.

Told of an stray cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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