Andi Weimann insisted he 'loved' his time at Blackburn Rovers and considered staying for another season.
The Austrian forward was a popular figure in his solitary campaign at Ewood Park. He netted nine goals under John Eustace including a memorable strike against rivals Burnley.
Rovers offered Weimann a one-year extension but he chose to reunite with Eustace at Derby County. That decision was driven by location, having spent too long away from his young family.
“It was only a season and it didn’t make sense to move the family, so it was travel and some nights in a hotel, but I loved Blackburn," Weimann told Gloucestershire Live in a feature interview.
“That one (Burnley goal) stands out because it was from about 30 yards and even though I was only there for a season, I think their fans love me because I scored against Burnley! They sang my name when I went back with Derby, which was nice.
"If it was an hour closer and they’d offered me another deal, I would 100 per cent have signed there. But I was 33, my kids were settled in school and I was missing too much time with the family.”
“It was a strange summer as we didn’t finish until mid-July, so I took two weeks off and actually trained with my local team Solihull Moors that summer because I didn’t just want to be running by myself," he added.
"John then called asking me to go and train and saying he wanted to sign me. I loved my year there.”
Weimann left Derby in the summer after struggling for minutes at Pride Park. He spent the second half of last season back in Austria with Rapid Vienna and was offered a one-year deal to stay permanently.
But the 35-year-old wanted to put his family first and has instead signed for Cheltenham Town, linking up with ex-Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill.
“I knew of Steve from my time at Bristol City and he didn’t have to sell it too much," he explained.
"I knew it was halfway to Bristol as I’d driven past it for six years and I knew it was a beautiful area. Having a manager who knew me helped. It was the perfect move for me.
“I am not sure if this sounds wrong, but I’ve earned my money in my career and I am proud of it, so it was time to do what was right for me and my family.
"I want to play because I love it, but it had to work out for all of us and Cheltenham fitted perfectly.”
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