🔗 Share this article

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

To 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 yet wet vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his right-hand man Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture 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.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he called out, "You must be a bit wet?" before telling her to "Come 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 another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the decisive kick, was left 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 glared at her and warned, "If you take that picture, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—with relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's path as a woman in a overwhelmingly male field was far from easy.

She struggled to be respected and believed she was frequently "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan 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

Proximity to the action came with very real risks. Haroun was once "rendered unconscious" by missiles thrown by supporters at an English club 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!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she asked legend Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the wrong way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, stopped, turned back, and charged towards her with a triumphant yell, allowing for the "perfect picture" she had envisioned.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a dedicated feline enthusiast. Her collection of seven cats on one occasion 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 already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice took the phone and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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