Carruthers joined Conference Premier club York City on 28 September 2009 on a one-month loan to provide competition for the left-side. He made his debut in a 1–1 home draw with Stevenage Borough on 3 October 2009, after coming on as a 76th-minute substitute. In November 2009, the loan was extended until 2 January 2010. Carruthers scored his first York goal with the opening goal in a 2–1 home victory over Wrexham on 5 December 2009 after heading in a Michael Rankine cross. After the loan spell concluded, he was offered a one-and-a-half-year contract by York and was subsequently released by Oxford. He signed for York permanently on 6 January 2010. He scored in his first match after signing, opening the scoring in a 4–1 home win over Hayes & Yeading United on 16 January 2010, converting from a Richard Brodie cross.