Football fans mourn United boss

Fans lined the street to hear the service and pay tribute Fans' goodbye to Mr Dundee United

More than 1,000 Dundee United fans and mourners have gathered to pay tribute to club chairman Eddie Thompson as his funeral took place in Broughty Ferry.

Mr Thompson died last week aged 67 after a long battle with cancer.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan and TV presenter Lorraine Kelly were among those attending the service.

The ceremony at St Mary's Episcopal Church was broadcast on loudspeakers to fans who had lined the street outside to pay their last respects.

Members of the United squad arrived along with their manager, Craig Levein.

BBC Scotland's politics editor Brian Taylor, a lifelong fan of Dundee Utd, also attended the service, along with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith.

At Mr Thompson's request, many people wore colourful clothes, and donations went to Ward 32 at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, where Mr Thompson was cared for.

Some of Mr Thompson's favourite songs, including music from The Beatles, Rod Stewart and Neil Diamond, were played during the service, which was led by the Very Reverend Robert Breaden.

Mr Thompson took control of Dundee United in 2002

BBC sports broadcaster Jim Spence spoke during the service, along with Fraser Mackay, a business partner of Mr Thompson, and Mr Levein.

Mr Levein said: "In the short space of time that I knew the chairman we became very, very good friends.

"At this point I was going to say that I would give up any of the victories we had this season to see him one more time.

"Until I thought about it, and he would say to me, 'What the hell did you give those three points away for?'"

He admitted that Mr Thompson was not an easy man to work for, he was demanding. But Mr Levein said it had been a privilege.

He paid tribute to Mr Thompson's love of football, saying he was the "the most passionate man I've met".

Mr Levein also paid tribute to the chairman's bravery in his battle against cancer.

He said: "When I think of him in the office, or having been to the hospital and coming back in agony having received some treatment, instead of going home he comes into his office to do some work.

"For long spells he didn't take any painkillers, a far better man than me I'll tell you that.

Eddie Thompson's coffin was led out of the church by United players

"Every time he had a setback he would bounce back right away."

Mr Levein highlighted the chairman's great work ethic, saying he was first in in the morning and last to go home at night.

And he recognised Mr Thompson's leadership skills. He said: "He had it in spades, he could make a decision, a lot of them wrong, but he could make a decision and then he had such conviction that he would convince you that whatever decision he made it would be 100% right.

"If he was a football player he would be the first name on my team sheet every single week."

Fans who were gathered outside the church clapped as the coffin was led out to Daniel Boone's 70s hit Beautiful Sunday, a song regularly played at Tannadice.

The Glasgow-born businessman, who sold his Morning, Noon and Night chain of convenience stores for £30m in 2004, became the majority shareholder in Dundee United six years ago and quickly turned a £2.7m loss into an operating profit.

He became a hugely-popular figure with the club's fans, and set up a supporters' trust which became the club's second-largest stakeholder.

Mr Thompson is survived by his wife Cath, children Justine and Stephen, and four grandchildren.

His death came just days after his son-in-law Ken Mitchell, 38, was killed in a motorcycle collision.

Mr Thompson had been so ill that he was never told about the accident.