Liverpool FC Women brought the curtain down on their 2025/26 WSL season on Friday with a 1-3 home defeat to Arsenal, but the result almost felt secondary to what happened around the match. Both Gemma Bonner and Gemma Evans were honoured with a guard of honour before kick-off, a moment that felt entirely right for two players who gave everything for this club.

Bonner leaves as Liverpool’s all-time leading appearance maker in the WSL era with 187 games across two spells, having first arrived back in 2012.

She captained the club to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014, returned in 2023 to help re-establish them in the top flight, and spent her final season navigating injuries while still showing up for her teammates every single day. That is the definition of a club legend and Liverpool should treat her like one.

What Evans Brought to the Club

Evans joined at the start of 2024/25 and made 27 league appearances across two seasons, operating across the backline with the kind of calm professionalism that is genuinely hard to replace. Gareth Taylor was vocal about her influence both on the pitch and inside the dressing room, and that speaks volumes about the type of player and person she is.

Bonner’s Emotional Farewell Letter

Bonner released an open letter to supporters that was as sincere as anything you will read in football. She touched on the grief of losing Matt Beard this season, the joy of the title victories, and her hope of returning to the club in some capacity in the future. It did not read like a PR exercise. It read like someone who genuinely loves Liverpool Football Club.

What Comes Next

Retirement feels likely for Bonner given her age and recent injury history. Evans will probably seek regular playing time elsewhere. Both deserve whatever comes next.

Also read: Gemma Bonner Writes Emotional Farewell Letter to Liverpool Women Supporters After Nine Years and 186 WSL Appearances

Gemma Bonner has said goodbye to Liverpool FC Women in the most fitting way possible, with a heartfelt open letter to supporters ahead of Saturday’s final WSL fixture of the season against Arsenal at Anfield. It is the kind of farewell the defender fully deserves after a career at the club that most players could only dream of.

Bonner captained Liverpool to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 during her first spell at the club before returning in January 2023 to help the team re-establish themselves in the top flight. She leaves as the all-time leading appearance maker for Liverpool in the WSL era, having played 186 games across two spells spanning nine years.

A Letter That Says Everything About Who She Is

The letter Bonner wrote is not the work of a footballer going through the motions of a farewell. It is genuine, considered and full of the kind of honesty that has defined her throughout her career.

She spoke about what it meant to captain this club, to lift two WSL titles, to play in the Champions League and to represent a city and a fanbase she has loved her entire life. She also acknowledged the painful moments, pointing specifically to the grief of losing Matt Beard this past season as one of the most difficult periods she has had to navigate.

A Legacy That Will Not Be Forgotten Quickly

186 appearances. Two league titles. A record as Liverpool’s most capped WSL player. Bonner has earned every bit of the send-off she will receive at Anfield on Saturday.

What Comes Next

Bonner was careful not to close the door entirely on Liverpool, expressing a genuine hope that she can return to the club in some capacity in the future. That feels right. Some players are just too important to a club to ever fully leave it behind.

Also read: Grace Fisk, Ceri Holland and Kirsty Maclean Win Liverpool Women’s End of Season Awards Ahead of Final Day Clash With Arsenal at Anfield

Liverpool FC Women rounded off their 2025/26 campaign in style off the pitch, with Grace Fisk, Ceri Holland and Kirsty Maclean all picking up awards at the club’s end-of-season ceremony held at the AXA Melwood Training Centre on Thursday.

The trio were recognised ahead of Saturday’s final WSL fixture against Arsenal at Anfield, which kicks off at 1 pm BST and will bring the curtain down on Gareth Taylor’s first season in charge of the club.

The Three Winners and What They Earned

Fisk took home the Club Person of the Year award, recognition that goes beyond pure football and speaks to the kind of character and contribution she brings to the environment day to day.

Holland was voted Players’ Player of the Year by her teammates, which is always the most meaningful of individual honours, given it comes directly from those who see her work up close every single session. Maclean completed the trio by claiming Young Player of the Year, a deserved nod for a player who has continued to develop throughout the campaign.

A Season That Had Its Moments

Liverpool have had a mixed 2025/26 campaign. They came agonisingly close in the WSL title race earlier in the season before Manchester City pulled clear, and they also had a FA Cup run to savour. The performances of Holland in midfield have been one of the genuine highlights across the year, which makes her Players’ Player recognition entirely fitting.

Final Day Against Arsenal

Saturday’s game against Arsenal at Anfield gives Liverpool the chance to sign off with a positive result in front of their home crowd. Arsenal arrive chasing second place in the table, so there is plenty riding on the fixture from both sides.

Tickets are available via the Liverpool FC website.

Also read: Family of Former Liverpool Women’s Boss Matt Beard Reveal His Final Text Message Before His Death as Inquest Delayed Over Burnley Bullying Claims