The transition from a professional athlete’s rigorous schedule to a more relaxed pace wasn't without its moments of nostalgia, however.
“I think the first time it hit me was when the girls went back to pre-season,” she admits. “I felt a little bit like I was missing it then, just seeing them back together and having a laugh.
“Then I quickly reminded myself that they were in for fitness testing. That feeling drifted away quite quickly after that!”
Despite leaving the pitch, the bond with her former teammates remains strong.
She said: “I still see a lot of the girls. Obviously, I’ve got good friends on the team. I miss them and I miss being around them within that environment.
“I think football is a really unique environment. At the moment, I'm just really enjoying this new chapter of my life.”
Gibbons is excited about the current Palace team's prospects this season. As a cornerstone of the team's promotion campaign and their subsequent debut season in the WSL, Gibbons has kept a keen eye on their progress since her retirement.
She said: "I'm really excited to watch Palace this year. I think they've got a really, really strong squad and I certainly think that they'll be up there competing for promotion, especially given that two, potentially three, go up this year.
“I've heard a lot of good things about Jo [Potter] and Remi [Allen] as well, so I'm looking forward to seeing all the hard work hopefully pay off - I'll certainly be down at a couple of games, that's for sure."
