Sitting with Ferguson and Getting 'Knocked Out' – A Lenswoman's Tales

Imagine receiving an invitation to sit beside Sir Alex Ferguson in the United dugout during a pivotal European match. How would you react?

For photographer the lenswoman, this became a reality on a storm-lashed night in Moscow in 1992. Soaked from the sideways rain, she was faced with an extraordinary decision: a perfect yet wet vantage point or a dry seat 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.

'Take a Seat Next to Us'

After a goalless first leg in Manchester, the return fixture in Russia was as unpredictable as the conditions. Haroun describes witnessing rain like it. Her equipment was soaking, and her cameras were likely to fail of failing.

Noticed by Ferguson in the second half, he asked, "Are you a bit wet?" before instructing her to "Come between Kiddo and myself." She passed the remainder of the match there, though she would have preferred behind the goal for better shots.

After a second 0-0 draw, United were defeated on penalties. Defender Gary Pallister, who failed to convert the final kick, was left crying into his shirt. Looking towards the dugout, he presented Haroun with a potential back-page photograph.

Preparing her flash, she thought 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!"

'My Gender Made Me a Target'

Regardless of her long-standing family connections to Manchester United—including relatives having served as chairmen—Haroun's journey as a woman in a male-dominated field was far from easy.

She struggled to be taken seriously and believed she was often "singled out" by stewards and police as the "weakest link." This even led to an arrest at a volatile Leeds vs. Manchester United match, where crowd trouble erupted.

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

Try to Run the Wright Way

Proximity to the pitch came with physical risks. Haroun was once "knocked out" by missiles thrown by supporters at an Aston Villa match in Turkey.

The hazard also came from 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, "If you're going to kill a photographer, Denis, make sure it's not the chairman's cousin!"

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

To her relief, Wright realised, halted, turned back, and ran 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 multiple cats once grew thanks to an unexpected call from a long-serving staff member at Manchester United's Carrington training ground.

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

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