* Thousands of "Yes" supporters in streets of Glasgow
* Salmond confident of win
* Darling warns a split will be forever (Releads with street scenes, adds queen, previous Edinburgh)
By Alistair Smout
GLASGOW, Scotland, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Thousands ofindependence supporters took to the streets of Scotland'slargest city, Glasgow, on Sunday as polls showed the rival campsrunning desperately close just five days before a referendumwhich could bring the break-up of the United Kingdom.
Separatist and unionist leaders worked across the country towoo undecided voters among the four million people Scots andScotland residents who will vote on their future on Thursday.
Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond, who hasspearheaded the drive for independence, said he was confidentthe "Yes" campaign would win.
"We're not aiming to win by one vote. We're aiming toachieve a substantial majority if we can," he said on the BBC.
Alistair Darling, a former British finance minister andleader of the "Better Together" campaign, warned that if Scotsvote to split from the United Kingdom, it would be anirreversible decision that would bring economic doom and gloom.
With promises from British political leaders of greaterpowers for Scotland in the event of a "No" vote, Scots couldhave the best of both worlds, Darling said.
And Queen Elizabeth, coming out of a Sunday morning churchservice near her Scottish residence Balmoral, told a well-wishershe hoped Scots would think very carefully about the future.
In Glasgow, the blue badges of the "Yes" to independencecampaign dominated central Buchanan Street, with a convoy ofcars driving through the downtown waving "Yes" banners andtooting horns. Buskers also sang in support of independence anda bagpipe-and-drum band drew a large crowd.
The Glasgow vote will be crucial to the result, given thecity's size.
Thousands of people marched to the BBC headquarters,complaining that the state-run broadcaster was biased againstthe "Yes" campaign.
"We pay our license fees. We don't want them to favour us -we were just marching for an impartial state broadcaster," saidLiz, a teacher.
Salmond has frequently accused the BBC - which could becarved up if Scotland votes for independece - of siding with theunionists. A BBC spokesperson said the corporation has been"rigorously impartial".
But the incident showed the high emotions and divisionsstirred by the referendum, which could result in the end of the307-year-old union with England and the break-up of the UnitedKingdom.
"No one wants to forget what we achieved together during thetwo World Wars. But where's the vision for the future?" saidIan, an IT manager from Glasgow who had been on the march.
Independence supporters say it is time for Scotland tochoose its own leaders and rule itself, free of control fromLondon and politicians they say ignore their views and needs.
"No" campaigners say Scotland is more secure and prosperousas part of the United Kingdom and the end of the union woulddestroy three centuries of bonds and shared history as well asbring in economic and financial hardship.
More than 4 million Scots as well as English and foreignresidents, from the Highands and Islands to Glasgow's grittyinner city estates, are eligible to vote. The question on theballot paper will ask simply: "Should Scotland be an independentcountry?"
Out of four new polls, three showed those in favour ofmaintaining the union with a lead of between 2 and 8 percentagepoints. But an ICM poll conducted over the Internet showedsupporters of independence in the lead with 54 percent andunionists on 46 percent.
RELOCATION PLANS
Last week, Scottish-based banks including RBS saidthey had plans to relocate should independence happen, bigretailers spoke of possible price rises north of the border andGermany's Deutsche Bank warned of economic meltdown.
Salmond has dismissed this as a London-contrived campaign ofbullying and scare-mongering. However, the pound had dropped onmarket concerns of a "Yes" victory and investors have pulledbillions out of British financial assets.
The biggest financial question is what currency anindependent Scotland would use. Salmond insists it would keepthe pound in a currency union with the rump UK, but PrimeMinister David Cameron and others have ruled this out.
Until September, all polls but one in 2013 had shown theunionists with a comfortable lead. But such is the gravity ofthe situation that finance minister George Osborne cancelled atrip to the G20 meeting in Australia after the vote. Bank ofEngland Governor Mark Carney will leave the G20 meeting early.
The Queen's comment was taken by unionists as a sign ofsupport for Scotland remaining within the United Kingdom. ABuckingham Palace source stressed that the queen wasconstitutionbally above politics and would express no view.
Salmond has said she should stay on as Queen of Scots ifindpendence happens.
Meanwhile the head of the Church of Scotland appealed forScots to put their differences aside and reconcile after thereferendum, whatever the outcome.
In a nationally-broadcast sermon at Edinburgh's St. Mary'sEpiscopal Cathedral, Reverend John Chalmers urged Scots to vote.
But he added: "The real success of next Thursday will bethat...every voice will continue to play its part in shaping thekind of Scotland that people in Scotland vote for," he said. (Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Writing by AngusMacSwan, Editing by Ralph Boulton)
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