Nicknamed the "Tics", the first team's kit is black and white hoops and they play home games at the Recreation Ground.

The club has for many years used 1875 as the official date based on the recollections of founder Harry Gray whose memories formed the basis of a publication in 1925.

Gray actually said that he attended regatta sports in Brixham in 1875[2] which “eventually” led to the formation of the club.

[14] The rest of the nineties was a period of stability for the club as they kept afloat in South West Division 1 and they also reached the final of the Devon Senior Cup in 1998 losing against Tiverton despite having home advantage.

[16][17] After a bad start to the decade Athletic bounced back, just missing out on promotion by losing the playoff 7–18 away to Gloucester-based side, Spartans in 2004 before winning Western Counties West in 2005–06.

[21] Two years later they came close to promotion after finishing second in Tribute Western Counties West, but were comfortably beaten 7–39 away to another Gloucester based side, Old Centralians.

[24] In 1882, they crossed Warberry Lane to play for the first time at the Plainmoor ground which is now home to Torquay United.

[29] A financial dispute between Athletic and the Recreation Ground Company meant that 1890-91 was played at Paignton Cycle track[30] behind the Esplanade Hotel (now the Inn on the Green).

The Recreation Ground is located on Rathmore Road in Torquay, near to the sea front and next to the train station.

It consists of a rugby/cricket pitch alongside a Victorian-era grandstand underneath which is the club-house and changing facilities, while a stand-alone cricket pavilion and scoreboard is situated at the opposite end of the ground.