The thugs were arrested before the cup final at Hampden

John Hepburn, 40, 24-year-old twins Stewart and Steven MacKie, Ian Carson, 40, and James Gallagher, 34, were spotted fighting by undercover police.

Last month they were found guilty of throwing bricks and bottles on a Glasgow street ahead of the match.

They have since been banned from Dundee United's Tannadice ground.

Hepburn, of Glamis Court, Dundee, the MacKie twins, of Albert Street, Dundee, Carson, of Adam Avenue, Airdrie, and Gallagher, whose address was given as Barlinnie Prison, appeared from custody at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

There were bottles thrown, bricks, and then they just clashed in the middle of the road, punching and kicking each other PC James Henderson Strathclyde Police

They were jailed for a total of eight years and three months for their part in the disturbance in Bedford Street on 28 May, which involved about 100 fans and forced cars and pedestrians to flee.

Hepburn and Gallagher were each sentenced to two years, Carson and Steven MacKie were given 18 months and his twin brother Stewart 15 months.

The riot happened before the game at Hampden Park where Celtic beat Dundee United 1-0 to lift the trophy.

The court heard how a 30-strong group of fans arrived in Queen Street train station before meeting up with others in a nearby pub and walking to the city's southside.

Tip-off

Constable James Henderson, of Strathclyde Police, said: "They were running along Bedford Street, shouting and swearing towards another group.

"There were bottles thrown, bricks and then they just clashed in the middle of the road, punching and kicking each other."

The officer was part of an specialist football casual "spotting" team which was lying in wait for the men when they arrived off the train.

Officers set up a special group to look for troublemakers

They had been tipped off that a group calling itself the Dundee Utility was travelling to the city.

Police sirens broke up the fighting, but 29 men were caught in Eglinton Street as they tried to flee.

All the men except Stewart MacKie had previous convictions. However, he committed the rioting offence while on bail for a breach of the peace charge.

Sheriff Deirdre MacNeill said the evidence had shown that each of the men had come to Glasgow "with a specific plan" to cause trouble.

Following the convictions on 22 September, a Dundee United spokesman said: "True Dundee United supporters on that day would already have been inside Hampden.