Tens of thousands of football fans have gathered in Glasgow for the Scottish Cup final at Hampden.

More than 27,000 supporters of SPL side Dundee United have joined the 17,000 for First Division Ross County.

The Highland side have reached the final for the first time in their history, having beaten Hibernian and Celtic en route to Hampden.

Hundreds of people turned out in Dingwall on Friday afternoon to wave off the team.

The club - nicknamed The Staggies - is Britain's most northerly league club and was only admitted to the Scottish Football League in 1994 after previously playing in the Highland League.

They reached the final by defeating Celtic 2-0 last month in what was described as the biggest upset in Scottish football history.

Dingwall has a population of just 5,000 and will be left virtually empty on Saturday.

Heavy favourites

Messages of support have been posted in the windows of homes and businesses and the local bakery has produced Ross County gingerbread men to mark the occasion.

A group of fans erected a sign on the outskirts of the town which read: "Last one out turn the lights off."

Dundee United, in their ninth Scottish Cup final, are heavy favourites.

In 1994, with the charismatic Serbian manager Ivan Golac in charge, the club beat Rangers for its only Scottish Cup win.

Cheering on her beloved United in the Hampden stands will be TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who reportedly passed up a chance to interview the stars of Sex and the City in America this weekend as it clashed with the match.

The final is sponsored by the Scottish government's Active Nation health initiative, with the half-time pies being made with 40% less fat, 50% less saturated fat and 37% less salt than the traditional Scotch pie.