Home-away-from-home field advantage

MontrealAlouettes.com

MONTREAL – When the October 26 match-up between the Alouettes and Tiger-Cats was selected as the date for the team’s annual Fan Train game back in the spring, we thought it would be a neat opportunity for Montreal fans to catch the one-time experience of a regular season CFL contest in Guelph between the two longtime divisional foes. With the game now less than a week away, it’s clear it’s become far more than that.

TICKETS: 2013 FAN TRAIN »

With the Ticats holding a slim two point lead over the Alouettes, a win on Saturday would not just pull the two teams even, but also give Montreal the tiebreaker, with one game left to play.

And hey, nothing against Southwestern Ontario’s Royal City, but a win would also go a ways in ensuring that this year’s trip to Guelph really does remain a one-time affair, with the right to host a home playoff game still very much up for grabs.

As for the fans’ role in the Fan Train? Try on these results for size: Since 2003, the Alouettes boast a 9-1 record in Fan Train games, with a 2011 loss at Ivor Wynne Stadium snapping the team’s eight-game win streak before returning to victory last year in Toronto.

This year, however, marks the most pivotal Fan Train confrontation since 2006’s Week 18 showdown. That year, the Alouettes (9-8) travelled to Toronto (10-7), also with playoff positioning on the line. The result? The Als left Hogtown with a 24-20 victory, finishing ahead of the Argos in the standings by virtue of the tiebreaker.

There are still some spots available on the Fan Train to Guelph, so you can reserve yours now and do your part for the Alouettes’ biggest game so far in 2013.
 

THE ALOUETTES’ FAN TRAIN RECORD SINCE 2003