🔗 Share this article

Imagine being invited to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the Manchester United dugout during a crucial European match. How would you react?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was presented with an extraordinary choice: a perfect but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was just as chaotic as the weather. Haroun recalls never seeing rain like it. Her equipment was drenched, 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 instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She spent the rest of the match there, even if she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

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

With her flash ready, she thought Ferguson would be annoyed. As expected, the manager glared at her and warned, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'I Was Picked On Because I'm a Woman'

Despite her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—with relatives having served as directors—Haroun's path as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She found it tough to be respected and felt she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club match in Turkey.

The hazard wasn't limited to the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson reportedly 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 asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He scored, but at first ran the opposite way.

Fortunately, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating 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.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. However, a recognisable Scottish 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 named her Carrington.