Charlton is spending the last few hours of the campaign trying to rally support for England's causse, although it is thought increasingly likely that South Africa will get the nod.

"That may sound arrogant, but you ask the others whether they think they are the best.

"We have the best chance of celebrating the World Cup to the standards that Fifa would want.

"We would be proud to host the World Cup to a standard no-one else could match."

Undermined

England's bid was undermined most recently by the violence of some supporters in Charleroi and Brussels.

"We were the first country to ever have hooligans," admitted Charlton.

"We were the first country where supporters travelled long distances to support the national team - because it is mainly a national team problem - and we have been labelled.

"Every country I go to, the first question anyone asks me is `What about the hooligans?'.

"I have to try and explain that we don't have hooligans in our country any more.

"We have spent a lot of money, time and effort on making sure they do not exist within our country and we have been successful.

"But their behaviour creates a difficulty because the police cannot absolutely guarantee there will be no trouble."

Reassure

Campaign director Alec McGivan has spent the intervening period trying to reassure potential supporters that the problems are not as bad as some think - and he has been surprised at the reaction, particularly from South America.