Blue Bombers fans gear up for the Grey Cup

Fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers geared up for another Grey Cup Sunday, as the team faced off against the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton, Ont.

It’s the fourth consecutive time the Bombers have made it all the way – and fans were fuelled by the warm weather and the drive to have the Blue and Gold bring home another win.

“We’ve won the Grey Cup twice and we already lost it last year,” said Bombers fan Dave “Woody” Heywood. “But we’re gonna win it again this year.”

Heywood decked out his ride in Bombers décor.

“I turned my car into a Bomber car in the spring of 2020 and then I’ve just been adding to it ever since,” he said.

Heywood takes the 2008 Honda Fit to every Bombers home game and plans to parade it through the city.

“I’ll be driving it all around town today and for the week after we win,” Heywood said.

In the week leading up to the big game, Bombers fan Scott Knight has been preparing to host dozens of fans in his garage for the 15th year in a row.

“It’s an open house, open door. Whoever shows up, shows up,” Knight said. “There’ll be lots of friendship, lots of laughs, the game will be on three different TVs.”

“There’s gonna be a lot of yelling and a lot of cheering.”

There was also lots of cheering at a neighbourhood tailgate in Charleswood.

“We’ve got such a lovely day here, it’s beautiful,” said Bombers fan John Russell Agopsowicz. “So happy to be outside here in the woods with our friends and neighbours.”

Some fans also have a closer connection to the players on the field, including Oak Park High School football coaches who coached two Bombers and one Alouette playing at this year’s Grey Cup.

“It’s so nice to see a couple guys that we coached playing for Winnipeg and one guy playing for Montreal,” said Dave Black, a former Blue Bomber. “It’s a real honour to watch them.”

“We could not be more proud or happier for some Oak Park alumni going out there and doing a great job and representing the city well,” said Austin Harvey, a football coach at Oak Park High School.

For many Bombers fans, the Grey Cup gives them a chance to get together every year to support their team and hopefully celebrate a Grey Cup victory.