Hundreds of independence supporters queued until nearly midnight to get books signed by former first minister Alex Salmond in Dundee on Sunday.
The Courier columnist is touring Scotland to promote his recently-published referendum diaries, The Dream Shall Never Die.
He had been due to appear at Dundee University’s Dalhouse Building at 6.30pm on Sunday but an unscheduled apperance at the SNP’s conference at the SECC overran due to the large numbers of people wanting to get their copies of the book signed.
This meant Mr Salmond did not leave Glasgow until 6.30pm and did not arrive in Dundee until nearly 8pm.
But despite his tardiness Mr Salmond was greeted with a standing ovation from the 250-strong audience and then, after his talk, sat and signed books until around 11.35pm.
Tickets for the event cost £15 and included a copy of Mr Salmond’s book.
Robin Crawford, manager of Waterstone’s Dundee, which organised Sunday’s event, said only three people had asked for refunds because they could not change childcare plans and had to leave before Mr Salmond arrived.
He said: “Even before the doors had opened we explained to people that he was running late. We had already put the start time back from 6.30pm to 7pm and we kept people as updated as we could.
“People were able to move about and get a coffee or go for a drink.
“He got a huge standing ovation when he came in – I was in Edinburgh for his talk there and it was bigger than the one he got there – and he stayed right up until the end signing books until about 11.35pm.”
The Dundee University Student Nationalist Association published this picture of their secretary Kader Marshall with Mr Salmond at the book signing.
Our secretary, @kadermarshall, with @AlexSalmond tonight in Dalhousie #SNP pic.twitter.com/bwHy5RAPJo
— DUSNA (@DUSNA_1) March 30, 2015
Since losing the referendum and standing down as SNP leader, Mr Salmond has rarely been out of the limelight.
At the SNP’s conference he again criticised Angus headteacher Jane Esson from stopping pupils at Websters High School in Kirriemuir from studying the play The Black Watch and called for BBC Scotland to be brought under Holyrood control.
Mr Salmond described Dundee as Scotland’s “Yes city” before September’s independence referendum.
It was one of only four council authority areas in Scotland to vote for independence on September 18.