Higgins was appointed club captain in the summer of 2012 and Queens won the 2012–13 Scottish Second Division and the Scottish Challenge Cup for the double, defeating Partick Thistle 6–5 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at the end of extra-time, after no goals were scored during the regulation 90 minutes. Higgins was involved in an incident with Firhill defender and Dumfries born Aaron Muirhead, who was then shown a red card for headbutting Higgins after Lee Robinson had saved Muirhead's penalty just before the end of extra-time.