Sharing a Dugout with Ferguson and Getting 'Knocked Out' – The Lenswoman's Stories

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

For 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 but soggy vantage point or a spot in the stands between Ferguson and his assistant Brian Kidd.

As the first female photographer to gain top-division accreditation, unusual situations were par for the course. She opted for 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 weather. Haroun describes never seeing rain that severe. Her equipment was drenched, and her cameras were on the verge of failing.

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

After another 0-0 draw, United lost on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who missed the decisive kick, was seen crying into his shirt. Facing the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential front-page photograph.

With her flash ready, she knew Ferguson would be furious. As expected, the manager looked at her and declared, "Do that, I'll never speak to you again!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

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

She struggled to be taken seriously and felt she was often "picked on" by stewards and police as the "easiest target." This came to a head with an arrest at a fiery Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where fan trouble erupted.

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

Remembering the Wright Way

Proximity to the action came with physical risks. Haroun was on one occasion "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 sent her sprawling. On one such occasion, Bryan Robson reportedly joked, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

Yet, players could also be accommodating. Before an Arsenal match, she asked iconic striker Ian Wright to run towards her if he scored. He did find the net, but at first ran the opposite way.

To her relief, Wright remembered, halted, turned back, and charged towards her with arms outstretched, creating the "ideal picture" she had hoped for.

A Cat Named Carrington

Away from football, Haroun is a known feline enthusiast. Her collection 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.

Told of an abandoned cat, Haroun was reluctant—she was caring for 23 at the time. However, a recognisable gruff voice came on the line and instructed her: "You have to take it!"

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