🔗 Share this article

Picture receiving an invitation to take a seat next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout in the middle of a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an extraordinary choice: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a spot in the stands flanked by Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were all in a day's work. She chose the dugout.

'Come and Sit Between Kiddo and Me'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

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

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender 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 front-page photograph.

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!"

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

Despite 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 not always easy.

She found it tough to be respected and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This even led to an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble broke out.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch 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 also came from the players themselves. Shots from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly quipped, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of seven cats once 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 was caring for 23 at the time. However, a familiar gruff voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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