A couple of people have mentioned these just lately - this morning, in fact.  They were massive when I was about 13, along with 'red tag'.  Only the 'cooler', football-going, soul/reggae crowd seemed to have them; mostly because they didn't have mothers like mine, who frowned intensely upon any kind of street fashion.  I really had to beg for a crappy pair of loafers and was never allowed DMs.  Part of the problem of passing the 11-Plus, you see.  Were they always poly/cotton?  I had some Italian-made a few years ago.  Stiff as a board and looked shite into the bargain.