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Picture 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 became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: an ideal but soggy shooting position or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman 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 "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect front-page image.

With her flash ready, 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 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 not always easy.

She found it tough to be taken seriously and believed she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"It was me that got arrested because I'm 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 "rendered unconscious" by rocks thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The danger also came from the players themselves. Strikes from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her collection 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 already had 23 at the time. But, a recognisable Scottish voice took the phone and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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