🔗 Share this article

Picture being invited to take a seat beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a dry seat between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She chose 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 conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, even if she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page image.

Preparing her flash, she knew Ferguson would be annoyed. True to form, the manager looked at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Despite her long-standing family ties to Manchester United—including relatives 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 felt she was often "singled out" by security and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble broke out.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close 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. Shots from stars like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson allegedly quipped, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and ran towards her with a triumphant yell, creating the "ideal picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known cat lover. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from the receptionist 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 took the phone and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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