Bristol's 2018 World Cup ambassador – Rovers, Spurs and England legend Gary Mabbutt – has pointed out the positives from the recent comments concerning England's 2018 bid.

President of the Concacaf federation Jack Warner was stirring up a media storm at the Leaders in Football event in London last week insisting England weren't pulling out the stops to win the 2018 bid and that they needed to wheel out their big guns to ensure votes.

Warner believed David Beckham and members of the Royal Family should be fronting the bid and labelled it "lightweight" without them joining the bid team on visits to members of the Fifa World Cup Committee whose 24 votes will decide who hosts the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

"I feel England do not exploit their attributes," he said. "I would take Beckham and make him my ambassador in countries where people are going to vote.

"England's attributes surpass any other country. I would have been more aggressive in the market place."

Mabbutt was heavily involved in South Africa's successful bid to stage the 2010 World Cup and told the Evening Post: "Jack Warner is clearly entitled to his comments. It's good for us that that is probably the only thing he can pick out which we have not been doing.

"If you look at the whole scheme of things, in Fifa's requirements, meeting Beckham or the Queen isn't in there. It's about providing infrastructure, stadiums, accommodation, showing we have the passion, and we have that.

"We still have to listen to people like Jack Warner though and take all the comments on board to ensure our bid is as good as it can be."

Warner controls three of the 24 votes which, in December 2010, will decide who hosts the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and was particularly concerned when handed a bag promoting Australia's bid on entering the conference at Stamford Bridge and not one for England's campaign.

FA chairman Lord Triesman, who was meeting with Warner to discuss the bid, welcomed the comments as constructive criticism, which is something England haven't always done in the past according to Mabbutt.

He said: "24 human beings will decide who hosts the World Cup. And we have to look at all their comments. For the 2006 bid we perhaps didn't do that."

Andy Anson, England 2018's chief executive, remains confident England's bid is on course while stating that all comments are taken on board.

"Jack Warner has been a good friend of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup," he said.

"Even though his comments might have seemed harsh, I understand that he is trying to give us advice that will help us take the bid further forward.

"As a vice-president of Fifa we know he is an extremely influential figure in world football and when someone gives you advice like that you have to take it on board.

"But we are confident that England's World Cup bid is not "lightweight", as he suggests, and that we are not falling behind.

"We have our own plans, timetable and are working to our own deadlines. We will use those individuals like David Beckham and, hopefully, members of the Royal Family in our own time and in the right place. They are important to our bid and on board."

● Anson also revealed the UK economy would benefit to the tune of £3.2 billion if it won the right to stage the 2018 World Cup, according to an independent study by accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Bristol are one of 16 cities vying for inclusion as a host venue in England's bid and hoping to benefit from part of the £5 billion spending estimated in the PwC report. The city is well placed as a gateway to the West with a brand new 44,000-capacity stadium already at the planning approval stage. It must submit its final bid on November 6 and will find out in December if it has been successful.

To register your support for Bristol's involvement go to www.thisisbristol.co.uk/worldcup or www.bristol2018.net.