Kris Boyd is home.

More accurately he is at Kilmarnock's training base in Glasgow, but the two have become closely linked since a return to Rugby Park in February brought him back under the same roof as his wife and children following time away in England, Turkey and the United States. That time apart had been endured as Boyd set time aside in his day to conduct some of his familial roles over the phone but they have more recently become a matter of routine: the striker has taken his kids to school in the mornings and been back from work in time to spend an evening as a husband.

A desire to leave such habits undisturbed compelled Boyd to agree a new one-year contract at Kilmarnock earlier this week, his initial deal having expired at the end of last season and a run of three goals in eight matches. When the 29-year-old joined Kevin Thomson and James McFadden in returning to their first clubs last term having come into difficulty elsewhere - the latter pair agreed short-term contracts with Hibernian and Motherwell, respectively - the impression was that it would be necessarily brief, like a teenager coming home to get their skivvies washed before taking off again.

That each have since agreed one-year extensions was at first unexpected, but any consideration of walking away had felt out of step for Boyd. Sentiment can sometimes seem ill-fitting when it adorns transfer business and the cynical may dismiss the striker's willingness to stay in Ayrshire as a loss of ambition and appetite, and his reasoning as dewy-eyed. Yet he had a clear view when he reported for the first day of pre-season without a deal and he was careful not to injure his prospective return by picking up a knock; only agreeing to play 45-minute spells in two friendlies last month.

Any action in today's opening league fixture with Aberdeen might be similarly curtailed since Boyd had sacrificed sharpness to ensure a place in the squad, although his sense of patience is already up to scratch. "I look forward to the challenge of getting myself in the team," said Boyd. "I feel I can get back to the heights I was at before, scoring goals like I used to."

His ambition is settled. It is a stability founded on contentment in his personal life, a strength of feeling which also endured the teasing from coaching staff yesterday as he talked about his decision to stay. "I've been home now for the past seven or eight months and it's a totally different way of life when your kids are back round about your feet," said the striker.

"If you're happy at home, you're happy everywhere and you see a lot of people walking about, looking unhappy with themselves and there's probably stuff going on at home that nobody knows about. So if you're happy with your kids and with your wife then you're happy."

That is what sustained Boyd as he pursued a contract throughout talks which had been conducted "over a month or so" yet it is often not the sense that you want to stay, but the perception that you are wanted which tells most.

His signing seemed a necessity for Kilmarnock since only the only other forward to offer a convincing goal threat was Paul Heffernan, while Willie Gros has also returned on a three-year deal. "When you see Kris in training, I don't think you could ask for better quality - we just need to get the ball to him in the right places," said Allan Johnston, the Kilmarnock manager, who has also been assessing former Queen of the South team-mate, defender Craig Reid, in training. "If you get the ball to him inside the box he's deadly."

Boyd's reputation as a potent finisher is waiting for him at Pittodrie. There has been a growing perception that Aberdeen will enjoy a convincing pursuit of a European place this term, but Derek McInnes was careful not to ignore the threat posed by today's visitors.

"Boyd has proved himself at this level time and time again and we have to make sure, when he does become prominent for them, we concentrate and deal with the threat he possesses," said the Aberdeen manager. "There are not many players who guarantee you goals but Kris comes close to that in Scotland. It doesn't matter how old you are, the knack of scoring doesn't desert you and Kris will get them goals."

It will be the job of Russell Anderson, the Aberdeen captain, to keep Kilmarnock quiet. He will also provide a voice of experience and encouragement for the newly-arrived players at Pittodrie as well as the clutch of youngsters promoted to the first-team squad this summer. "There's going to be players we've never heard of bursting on to the scene and hopefully we can have two of three of them in our team," said Anderson. "There's a lot of expectation but you get that here at the start of every season."

Today could also begin the 34-year-old's final campaign as a player. "I need to think about it," he said. "But once I am finished playing for Aberdeen that will be me."