K League’s worst-kept secret was finally unveiled this weekend when FC Anyang’s popular Dutch defender swapped the violet of Anyang for the blue of Ulsan. He leaves as a club legend.

I hadn’t heard of Thomas Oude Kotte before he joined FC Anyang in early 2025.

Writing for another publication, I stated “that Thomas looks like a smart signing to add more depth.” Anyang’s K League 2 title-winning squad was old, and defensive midfielders were often used as auxiliary defenders.

Thomas, as he’s known in Korea, didn’t just add more depth. He was the cornerstone of Anyang’s fantastic debut season in the top flight. Tipped by many to go straight back down, they narrowly missed out on a top half finish when the league split with five rounds to go.

Anyang would ultimately finish eighth, well clear of the relegation zone. Thomas was central to that.

Looking back now, it is hard to remember another Violet making such a huge impression in his first season. He picked up one Player of the Round award, he was nominated for Best XI (in midfield – highlighting his versatility), and he earned selection for Team K League against Newcastle United in a glamour summer friendly.

What made Thomas exceptional goes beyond those accomplishments. He never looked out of depth in any position, meaning Anyang had options, especially if a match wasn’t going as expected.

He had leadership qualities, and because he hadn’t grown up in the Korean system, he was brave enough to challenge decisions or differing opinions in the dressing room.

As I covered Anyang last year, I met the Dutchman on five separate occasions – after the opening day win in Munsu, after the Team K League outing, and three times in Anyang.

I also learned from his teammates at Anyang just how valuable the former Vitesse man was. Both Kim Jung-hyun and Han Ka-ram cited Thomas as their most impressive and important teammate this season.

There will be one moment of Thomas’ Anyang adventure I will never forget. It was the final day of August, last year. Anyang’s status as a K League 1 club was still under threat following a terrible run of results that summer.

However, they traveled north of the Han to face bitter rivals FC Seoul with renewed confidence after a come-from-behind win the previous week. In Seoul, that Sunday night, it was hot, it was humid, and in the away end, it was febrile.

This was the one single victory Anyang craved the most. They had never beaten Seoul, the club many Anyang supporters blame for robbing their city of its football identity when the LG Cheetahs relocated to Seoul in 2004.

Anyang was left without a club for nearly a decade. The story was even turned into a documentary. The wounds hadn’t been healed. Not yet, at least.

In the third minute, facing the hostile home supporters in the North Stand, Thomas pounced to put Anyang in front. Seoul equalized before Bruno Mota’s late winner. For 90 minutes, the air was filled with tension, anger, and desperation.

When the final whistle went, Anyang’s long-suffering supporters were wiping tears off their faces. Thomas was at the heart of it. He was there for Anyang’s greatest night.

In total, the popular No. 55 represented Anyang 48 times, scoring four goals. Across more than 4,000 minutes, he played in half a dozen different positions. Thomas is a modern-day great K League signing.

But, all good things must come to an end. On June 14, Ulsan announced the capture of Anyang’s highly-rated versatile Dutchman. The news, while a major blow to Anyang, had not come out of the blue.

Fans had prepared for his exit long before the news broke.

This is a great move for the player. At 30, this is the peak of his career. And with the greatest respect to Anyang, even their most ardent supporters will concede moving to Ulsan is a step up.

Five-time K League champions, two-time AFC Champions League winners, and one-time Korea Cup winners, Ulsan represent one of the biggest clubs in Asia. But there’s more. Ulsan play at the 40,000 World Cup Stadium in Munsu. Their jerseys are made by Adidas. They have Korean internationals in their squad.

Thomas will depart with the best wishes of all Anyang supporters. The outpouring of emotion since the announcement is the proof.

Ulsan are also firmly in the title race. They are currently second, behind FC Seoul. That title challenge adds more intrigue for the Violets.

If their former hero can help deny Seoul a long-awaited championship, his place in Anyang folklore will be permanently secured.