The Motherwell striker Michael Higdon spent the early part of Monday in a police cell, having been arrested for an alleged assault just hours after being named as Scotland's players' player of the year.

Higdon was detained by police outside Glasgow's Corinthian Club, the venue for PFA Scotland's official after party, following the union's annual awards ceremony at a city centre Hilton hotel on Sunday evening. Higdon is understood to have spent time in the nightspot itself, shortly before becoming involved in an altercation with security staff amid which the police arrived at the busy venue and arrested the forward.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed: "A 29-year-old man is the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with an alleged assault at a nightclub in Ingram Street in Glasgow at 1.25am today."

Higdon had been due to meet with the media to discuss his prize first thing on Monday morning but that press conference was cancelled at short notice. The player was only released from police custody at 9am. Motherwell were yet to comment on the affair at the time of publication, with PFA Scotland opting not to do so because of legal issues surrounding it.

Higdon had sworn on stage during his acceptance at the awards ceremony, with the Scottish Premier League club's press and media manager, Alan Burrows, tweeting at the time: "His 'speech' was the stuff of legend. A few jars had made it all the more entertaining."

Higdon is this season's SPL top scorer, having found the net 26 times in league matches for second-placed Motherwell. The Liverpool-born striker, who has also turned out for Crewe, Falkirk and St Mirren, has understandably labelled this campaign as the finest of his career. He attributed his recent form to "confidence, playing in a good team and having a manager who believes in me".

Higdon had beaten off competition from Niall McGinn, Andrew Shinnie and Leigh Griffiths to become the first player since 1990 not attached to Celtic or Rangers to win the PFA award. Stuart McCall, the Motherwell manager, had earlier spoken of his desire to keep Higdon at Fir Park, where he has been since 2011.

McCall said: "He has certainly made all the right noises. The more goals he scores, the harder it will be, but I certainly know he is settled in Scotland and he enjoys it here."