Head coach Melissa Phillips said the five players leaving Albion fully deserved the tribute paid to them after the final game of the WSL season.
Victoria Williams, Danielle Carter, Megan Walsh, Megan Connolly and Kayleigh Green were all presented with framed shirts after the 1-0 defeat to Leicester City as their teammates and staff formed a guard of honour.
Phillips said, “What was most important is that we acknowledged the efforts of players who helped build the foundations for us in the WSL, and it was a nice ceremony at the end. Not enough good things have been said about those five players.
“They have been through thick and thin and although the results didn’t go the way we wanted this season they have always had the best intentions and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”
Albion started the game well but Leicester won it with a second-half goal from substitute Ava Baker which enabled them to move above Albion, who finished the season in 11th place.
“We’re incredibly disappointed, we had chances in the first half and we weren’t clinical and I thought we looked a bit flat in the second half,” added Phillips.
But Phillips was pleased that Albion had achieved their objective of staying in the WSL after her appointment in March, but the planning for next season will start on Monday.
“The goal when I came in was to make sure we stayed in the WSL, we wanted to make sure we were putting in more competitive performances and staying in games and we have done that in the seven games I have been here.
“But this is the work begins, we need to get our plans and processes in place this summer and the focus will shift to recruitment.”