Sharing a Dugout with Ferguson and Being 'Knocked Out' – A Lenswoman's Tales

Picture being invited to sit 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 wasn't a hypothetical on a torrential night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was presented with an unlikely choice: an ideal but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the pioneering woman photographer to gain Premier League accreditation, remarkable situations were all in a day's work. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a scoreless first leg in Manchester, the second match in Russia was just as chaotic as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. 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 "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for superior shots.

After another 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Centre-back Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing 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 glared 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'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was frequently "singled out" by security and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination even led to an incident at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

"I was the one that got arrested because they saw me as the weakest link, I'm a woman," she said.

Try to Run the Wright Way

Being close to the pitch came with very real risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by rocks thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The danger wasn't limited to the players themselves. Strikes from legends like Wayne Rooney and Denis Irwin also left her dazed. After one such incident, Bryan Robson allegedly joked, "Pick a different target, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

However, players could also be accommodating. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told iconic striker Ian Wright to celebrate her if he scored. He scored, but initially ran the wrong way.

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

A Cat Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her family of seven cats on one occasion grew thanks to an unexpected call from the receptionist at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Told 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 instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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