Football: BUFF: I did'nt think it would be this tough; Thomas calls on fans to play part.

Byline: By Hugh Keevins

THOMAS BUFFEL walked into the madhouse atmosphere when he joined Rangers in the middle of another frantic championship race with bitter rivals CelticBut now the Belgian believes he's got over the culture shock and started to become as demented as everybody else the closer the league gets to being settled.

Buffel now knows a player is only as good as his last game because nobody has any time to wait for his next one.

And he can speak from personal experience where that one is concerned.

Buffel arrived in a blaze of publicity and was then showered in criticism when his start at Ibrox wasn't what was expected of him.

Now he's back in the fans' affections and is counting on them to help him and the other Rangers players through the drama of the SPL's pressure pot when Motherwell go to Ibrox on Saturday.

He said: 'The whole experience is quite new to me as I was never part of a league race as close as this during my time in Holland with Feyenoord.

'We need to keep our heads together and give it our best shot.

'I heard about how close it was two years ago and now there is a chance it could be the same again. If Celtic draw one of their last two games and Rangers win them both it would come down to goal difference and that would be incredible.'

But what has really captured Buffel's imagination is the way the fans here change as quickly as the weather, praising their side one minute and running them down the next.

He said: 'I find it a little strange. Rangers have had some really good performances since I arrived in January and been praised for them'Then we lost to Dundee United and Celtic and people were saying we were a bad team again.

'It seems strange people can change their minds so quickly about the team.

'When you go out on to the pitch people have already forgotten what you did in the game before.'

That was just as well when Rangers went to Pittodrie after having been beaten by Celtic at Ibrox last month.

But what the fans were desperately trying to forget was a disappointment that was actively inspiring Alex McLeish's players.

Buffel said: 'Everybody had written us off after the Celtic game and that made the players even more determined to prove we weren't finished. I think we have shown we have a strong mentality.

'There is a lot of pressure on us but I don't think you could tell that from our recent performances against Aberdeen and Hearts.

'I'm now getting so used to the way it works in the SPL that I wasn't actually surprised when Celtic lost to Hibs after beating us at Ibrox.

'I've learned you have to play 100 per cent if you want to win games in this league.

'The other teams will never let you have an easy game and you have to fight for any points you get.'

Buffel believes the Rangers supporters can play their part in the nerve-wracking title scrap by screaming themselves hoarse when Motherwell arrive as the last visitors of the season at Ibrox.

He said: 'The fans need to give the players a good atmosphere to play in.

'We want to keep it exciting until the last game of the season and we need as much noise and singing as possible.

'The team has to win the last two games of the season and it doesn't matter how we do it.

'That's why I'm happy to play wherever I'm asked and give of my best without any problem.

'I think I've done reasonably well recently but at this stage of the competition it's more about what the team does rather than concentrating on individuals.

'I can play several positions in any case and I know that any player has to prove himself in every game.

'Every player has his own favourite position but it's the trainer who picks the team and he must decide where he wants to put me

CAPTION(S):

PLEASE HELP US: Thomas Buffel knows everyone at Ibrox must play their part to win the league