Kris Boyd insists he put his family first when he knocked back friend David Weir and his Sheffield United team to sign on again with Kilmarnock.

But the former Rangers frontman insists he still has unfinished business in England.

Boyd penned a fresh one-year contract with the Rugby Park club yesterday after rejoining his first club on a short-term deal last season.

The Scottish Premier League's all-time top scorer held talks with several clubs south of the border during the summer and admits that his former Ibrox colleague Weir came closest to persuading him to giving it another go in England after a disappointing spell with Middlesbrough.

Ultimately, the 29-year-old former Scotland international decided he could not put his wife Christine and their daughters Brooke and Savannah through another upheaval after spending the past three years moving between Scotland, England, Turkey and the United States.

Boyd, who returned to Killie after a 12-month stint with Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer, told Press Association Sport: "I said at the end of last season that I had enjoyed being back at Kilmarnock. It was always my first thought to try and get something sorted here because my family is back here and settled.

"We had to sort a few things out but it was a pretty easy decision in the end.

"I spoke to a few other teams during the summer, with the most tempting offer from Davie Weir at Sheffield United. We are close mates and Sheffield United are a big club.

"It was a move that crossed my mind but with my family being settled here and the travelling that would have been involved, I felt it was more important for me to concentrate on playing my football here in Scotland."

But Boyd - who netted six goals in 29 outings for Boro - still believes he can be a success in England.

He said: "It's not easy being away from your family so I felt it was right to come back home and concentrate on my football. But I still want another crack at England and I feel as if I've got three or four years left in me."

Boyd sat out Kilmarnock's pre-season schedule while his contract situation was discussed but boss Allan Johnston says he could throw the striker straight into action against Aberdeen when the Rugby Park side kick-off their Scottish Premiership campaign at Pittodrie.

He said: "Kris will be in contention to play tomorrow. Someone of his quality has to be in contention for a place and hopefully we can get him involved at some point."

Boyd signed on again on the same day that forward William Gros agreed his own three-year deal. Killie have also brought in defender Darren Barr from Hearts as well as two goalkeepers - St Mirren's Craig Samson and former Inverness number one Antonio Reguero.

But Johnston - who only replaced Kenny Shiels as Killie manager at the beginning of July - admits he is still well short on numbers, explaining: "We have got to bring in four or five players. We came in a wee bit late and it has taken time to get to know the squad and asses what positions we need, and also to get people in as well.

"Hopefully we can get the ones we're looking at in before the end of the transfer window."