Nick Kingston-Smith (second right) discussing tactics at half time with the team he founded, The Rockets, at Dulwich playing fields, Beijing. [Photo by Chris Georgiou / China.org.cn]

Maybe in future years there'll be a chance for it to be finessed a little. Maybe certain areas in the hutongs might be suitable for certain types of businesses, and there might be a rejuvenation here and there where it can be integrated properly with the residential life of the local people.

The bricking up of Fangjia Hutong is, in one sense, a welcome change; however, in another sense, there could be room for the sort of businesses that were operating there before, but perhaps on a reduced and more managed scale – with a policy that is sensitive to what exactly the businesses are contributing to the area on a case by case basis. That will be something for future local governments and remains to be seen.

On the Establishment of Beijing Rockets FC football team

Nick Kingston-Smith: It started in my first year here in 2013, involving a few friends and colleagues. We English guys wanted to play football, but unfortunately there was nowhere to play near us in Wudaokou. It appeared that there was only one organized international five-a-side league, with a website in English which caters for international teams. After joining with other guys, who happened to be from Azerbaijan, Kirgizstan, Honduras, Canada, America as well as China, we could form a real international team.

We've been playing for five years in five-a-side, and last year one of the South African team members set up an 11-a-side team in the IFFC 1994 league.

In 2013 there were 12 divisions in the five-a-side league with eight teams in each division. It is actually a lot smaller now – there's another rival international league on Wednesdays – the Wednesday futsal league, founded by a Russian and a Costa Rican. Teams have migrated to that, and I'm not aware of any other international leagues in Beijing.

The leagues are not as organized as they are, say, in England. There isn't really the same structure enabling you to know where you are in the hierarchy and can find the right playing level for yourself. The standard is reasonable for amateur football, but I just wonder where you would go if you were seriously looking for a higher level of football.

It's a good experience for me though, as there are some very good players playing in the amateur league, with whom I would otherwise never have had the chance to play alongside.

It's been one of the best things I have done in China and it's nice to know that the club will carry on after I've left.

Final comments and reflections

Nick Kingston-Smith: There's a lot of opportunity if you're proactive. The expat community is small enough for you to be one or two degrees removed from anyone, but also large enough for you to be able to make quite wide-ranging contacts. I think you can find your way into opportunities that you would have never had before.

If you're at a point in your life where you would consider moving abroad, I would certainly recommend China, even if you are not quite sure how long it will last, or where it will take you.

And that is the China dream, although Kingston-Smith is still dreaming of seeing more blue skies in the future.