 Following Martin Ling's appointment as manager, Carden returned to assistant manager duties on 27 July 2009, but was forced to regain control after Ling's unexpected departure after only nine days at the club.After managing Cambridge to a win and a loss in their first two games of the season in August 2009, Ling was reappointed as manager on 12 August, leaving Carden once again as assistant manager.On 18 February 2011, Carden signed on loan for Luton Town until the end of the 2010–11 season, linking back up with Luton assistant manager Gary Brabin, who he had previously worked with at Cambridge.