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Football fans in Dundee have clubbed together to bring a Yes billboard to the city’s soccer centre.

A group of fans from Dundee United and Dundee FC decided to put their rivalry aside to fund and produce a Yes advert after Better Together began advertising outside Tannadice and Dens Park.

The project required more than £2,000 in funding and thanks to a massive community effort the fans have almost reached their target.

Dozens of fans from both clubs gathered at City Square to promote the project and the billboard the design of which is still being finalised which will now go up in the final month before the referendum on September 18.

It is thought an image produced of the fans united in backing the project will feature in the advert.

One of the billboard’s key supporters, Andy Clark, said that the billboard will help encourage political engagement in Dundee.

He said: “We’re not bashing people over the head with this. We’re a community of fans who happen to share the same political beliefs as far as a Yes vote is concerned and a love of football.

“We know opinions will differ among the fans. We just want to encourage as many as possible to engage in the debate, hear the arguments for independence and get involved.”

Dundee United fan Mr Clark said numerous risks had to be taken to bring the billboard to life and a tremendous spirit among fans from both clubs had made it possible.

“We contacted the advertising agency who own the billboards outside Dens and Tannadice and struck a deal,” Mr Clark said.

“We had to find just over £2,200, it had to be booked three months in advance and, as we weren’t an established business or organisation, it all had to be paid for a month before the boards went ‘live’.

“We took a huge risk and went for it and it’s paid off. We set up a crowd-funding site, the supporters have responded and we’ve almost reached our target.

“A lot of time, money and effort has gone into this campaign and it hasn’t always been easy.

“We have been told ‘to keep our views to ourselves’. A Yes-voting Dundee United fan said he found it to be a ‘complete and utter minter’ and of course we have also had the old chestnut that ‘football and politics don’t mix’ thrown at us.

“But I think ultimately it has been a really positive project both in the support we have got and the response from fans we are getting.

“We have seen fans from both clubs come together and that can only be a positive thing for Dundee.”