🔗 Share this article

Picture being invited to sit next to Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. What would you do?

To photographer the lenswoman, this wasn't a hypothetical on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Drenched from the horizontal rain, she was faced with an unlikely decision: an ideal 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, remarkable situations were par for the course. She opted for the dugout.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the weather. Haroun describes witnessing rain that severe. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were on the verge of breaking down.

Spotted by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "You must be a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Sit between Kiddo and myself." She passed the rest of the match there, though she admitted she'd rather be behind the goal for superior shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the final kick, was left sobbing into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a perfect back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought Ferguson would be furious. True to form, the manager glared at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her deep family ties to Manchester United—including 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 respected and felt she was frequently "picked on" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." The discrimination came to a head with an arrest at a volatile 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 stated.

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "rendered unconscious" by rocks 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 at times 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!"

Yet, players could also be helpful. Prior to an Arsenal match, she told legend Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but initially ran the opposite way.

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

A Feline Named Carrington

Beyond football, Haroun is a dedicated cat lover. Her family of multiple cats on one occasion grew thanks to an surprise call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

Informed of an stray cat, Haroun was hesitant—she already had 23 at the time. But, a familiar Scottish voice came on the line and ordered her: "You have to take it!"

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